Taken
by WaruiOkami
Summary: An AU of the original movie - how would it change things if Poppy was the one that was taken by Chef at the start of the film? What would Branch do? Broppy focused with dark/intense moments
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: My first proper Trolls fanfic! Sort of... I had a few ideas for different ways the Trolls film could have gone, I enjoy speculating different outcomes so this is one of them. Sorry if it's a bit lazy, I'm just writing this for a bit of fun and an excuse to write Broppy! It probably won't be too long unless I get other inspiration, perhaps 3-4 chapters of a decent length. Couldn't for the life of me think of a name for it either! Oh well, I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 **Taken**

 **Chapter 1**

"Come on! Yeah!" Poppy bounced energetically along to the booming music, waving her arms at the crowd below her as the lights flashed and sparkled giddily. Hair in every colour of the rainbow was swinging to the beat, and glitter bombs were erupting from every direction. Poppy fervently showed off her moves from her mushroom platform, totally lost in the atmosphere. The party was going exactly to plan, and every troll seemed to be having the time of their lives.

But not a troll present could have predicted what was going to happen next. One second they were celebrating twenty years of freedom like there was no tomorrow, and the next they were staring death in the face.

The bergen chef's feet pounded through the forest, crushing vegetation and troll homes without a care. The clearing fell silent, and Poppy's blood turned to ice when those malevolent red and yellow eyes focused on her. The moment seem to stretch out painfully long. This just couldn'tbe happening, this wasn't real right?

In the next instant panic erupted and the village descended into chaos. Poppy desperately scanned the swarming mass of panicking trolls below for her friends. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Chef's gnarly claws reaching down towards Guy Diamond and Biggie.

Before she even knew what she was doing she had thrown her hair out towards Chef's arm and wrapped it tightly around the bergen's wrist, using it to swing down from her platform. It pulled Chef's reach away just in time for her friends to dive beneath a nearby mushroom, much to the bergen's frustration. Poppy didn't give Chef time to think about what had just happened, releasing her hair and deftly falling into a roll, hitting the ground running.

"Run! Blend in! Blend in!" She yelled as loud as she could as she pushed through the crowd. Her bravery had stunned Chef for just long enough that many of the trolls were starting to use their heads rather than just running blindly, using their hair to pull themselves up into the branches or to camouflage into nearby foliage. She was just in time to drag Cooper and a group of children into some nearby grass, quickly pulling Cooper's head down so that he was hidden.

For the briefest of moments she felt relief. She was pretty sure Chef hadn't managed to catch anyone yet, but the Bergen was getting more irate by the second, and she hadn't given up yet.

"Everyone, minimise your auras!" Her heart plummeted as she heard a familiar voice calling out, drawing the bergen's attention.

"No Creek!" She burst from her hiding place without the slightest hesitation, diving fearlessly towards him.

The last thing she saw were huge, mauve fingers closing towards them as she lunged at Creek, pushing him back with all of the force she could muster. Her heart beat fiercely as she felt the hand close too tightly around her, struggling to catch her breath as her pulse grew more panicked. The air was close and too warm inside the bergen's clutches, and the smell of her skin was not pleasant.

Poppy fought with all her might to push her head out from between the fingers, gasping desperately for fresh air. She didn't know how to feel when she looked down and saw that all the trolls were now hidden. She was glad of course that she was the only one that had been captured, but her stomach lurched sickeningly with fear. The scene below her was something from her worst nightmares. Broken homes and decorations littered the ground, the vivid lights and colours long gone. Had they really been partying only minutes ago?

Suddenly movement caught her eye. Just when she thought things couldn't possibly get worse… oh boy was she wrong.

"Poppy? No! POPPY!" Her father yelled, beginning to run out from his cover and into the open.

"NO! Someone stop him!" Poppy yelled desperately, before Chef abruptly silenced her by stuffing the troll into her waist pouch. Poppy didn't know if someone had pulled her father out of sight, but she felt Chef lurch forward and then stop, before crying out angrily in frustration. After a couple more tense moments Chef pulled the zipper closed on the pouch, sealing Poppy inside.

"Oh thank God…" She sighed, letting out a shuddering breath – he must have got away. Her moment of relief was brief as the reality of her situation struck her like a blow to the stomach.

This was it, she was going to be eaten. She'd never see her home again. Her friends, her father… even if some miracle occurred and she managed to escape she knew they would have to relocate now. She'd never find them again. Tears began to escape down her glittery cheeks, and she hugged herself tightly as though it might hold her together.

"Come on Poppy, think positive," She chastised herself through her sobs, trying to hold the tears at bay, "You got everyone out. They're all safe and that's what matters."

Her thoughts drifted to Branch's words from earlier. This was _her_ fault. He'd been right all along and if she'd just listened to his warnings none of this would have happened. She felt so stupid, and so horribly guilty. Perhaps they were better off without her – Branch had been right about that too, she _would_ have made a terrible queen.

Her thoughts lingered on the grey troll. She hoped that he wouldn't be forgotten and that someone would go and tell him what had happened. Poppy knew she was the only one that ever really tried to include him. He might not be the friendliest of trolls but he still deserved to find his happiness. She'd always imagined that one day she'd finally get through to him, and she'd be rewarded with seeing his true colours. A fresh wave of grief swept over her as she realised that now she'd never know. She couldn't bear the thought of him being left all alone in that gloomy bunker, thinking that they had abandoned him. Or worse still, that if the bergens returned to that spot that he would walk right into them unawares.

Feeling more full of misery and regret than she ever had in her life, she curled herself up into a ball and awaited her fate.

...

As the bergen's footsteps receded into the distance trolls cautiously began to creep out from their hiding places, gathering in the clearing once more. They simply looked at each other in silence - no one could quite believe their princess was gone.

King Peppy sat in the middle, his sobbing the only sound to be heard. As trolls grew closer they gasped in horror as their eyes fell on him; Peppy's skin was no longer a vibrant orange, but a dull shadow of his former colours. Guy Diamond and Suki were comforting him, though their own cheeks glistened with moisture. They'd managed to pull him out of Chef's grasp in the nick of time, but they still felt horrible that they hadn't been able to help Poppy. How could their king lose his colours? What were they supposed to do now? Despair washed through the village.

Creek stepped into the centre of the crowd, his mind turning as he looked from the grey Peppy to the distraught villagers surrounding him. He could see the panic setting in as the situation dawned on them. They needed leadership and fast, or they would all surely turn to grey.

"Come now everyone! We mustn't waste any time, we have to leave! We have to find a new home before the bergens come back!" He announced calmly and loudly. Everyone looked to him with a slightly puzzled expression, but they seemed to accept his leadership and began nodding and muttering in agreement. They needed a strong voice now, and he could be that voice. He buried the notion that said he had longed to be that voice for some time, having to shake the image of himself wearing a crown from his mind.

"Shouldn't we try to rescue her?" Suki spoke up.

"But how are we supposed to face up to a bergen?" Creek asked her pointedly. She opened her mouth to respond, but had no answer. He nodded knowingly. "It's just not possible. We shouldn't endanger the rest of the village for the sake of one single troll, it just isn't fair. For all we know she has already been eaten." Suki and several other trolls flinched at his harsh words, but they had no retort. They all knew that as terrible as it sounded his words were the truth. Besides, they all had family and loved ones that they wanted to protect too.

"Now, we really should move. We don't know how quick they will be returning." Creek began to usher people along.

"Creek wait," King Peppy finally found his voice as Suki and Guy Diamond helped him to his feet. "Could someone please go and tell Branch that we're going? We can't leave him behind." The trolls looked at Peppy with mild surprise, feeling a little ashamed that they had forgotten the grumpy outsider. Creek simply rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure Branch will be perfectly happy staying by himself in his ' _survival bunker',_ " he said the words mockingly.

"He still deserves to know what happened. I'll go." Suki said resolutely, hurrying off towards the bunker before Creek could say anymore.

...

Branch gazed longingly at the invitation before him. He'd managed to sneak back out to rescue it whilst everyone was at the party, before reconstructing it with great care once he was safely back in the privacy of his bunker. He'd been so worried it wouldn't be there, that someone might have thrown it out or that it might have blown away. But to his relief, there it still rested in a crumpled heap. Why did he have to be quite so mean as to throw it on the floor and stomp on it in front of her? He inwardly groaned at himself.

This party really had been the last straw. He'd been trying to tell her all week to keep it sensible, but the plans had just gotten more and more out of control. More glitter, more lights, more noise… He'd just finally snapped when she had presented him with his invitation. He didn't mean to upset her and he really did appreciate how incredible it was that she _kept on_ inviting him, even when he acted so horribly. He certainly didn't deserve her attention, but she never gave up on him.

Branch glanced to his right, at the shelves that were so filled with invitations that they threatened to spill out. Every single one of them was from her. No one else would bother, but for reasons that eluded him completely she still seemed to care. His cheeks warmed at the thought of her beaming like the sun as she presented him with each one.

He was knocked out of his daydream by the sound of knocking at his door. His heart jolted with embarrassment at the mere thought of someone seeing his collection of invitations. He raced to hide them but in his haste ended up dropping the whole collection all over the floor. His pulse quickened as he shushed the triggered sound effects and clumsily stuffed the papers back into their hiding place.

He breathed a sigh of relief once they were hidden, taking a moment to calm his nerves until he heard the sound of banging once more. He scowled as he made his way up. He had half expected Poppy to try and drag him out to the party at some stage. Dare he say he'd even hoped for it? It wasn't like he would go, but he still felt a familiar flutter in his stomach. His expression changed though as a different voice reached his ears.

"Branch? Hello? BRANCH!" That wasn't Poppy's voice. He frowned in confusion as he approached the door. No one other than Poppy _ever_ came to his bunker. He didn't even think anyone else knew where it was. He opened the flap in his 'go away' mat to find a familiar red troll with distinctive orange dreadlocks.

"Suki?" He was so surprised to see her standing on his doorstep that he forgot to act grumpy about the party. That was when he registered the look of distress on her face. She wrung her hands together anxiously, and her face was scrunched up with sadness – it even looked as though she had been crying. His pulse quickening, Branch quickly opened the trap door and climbed out to face her. "Suki what on earth is going on? Are you ok?" He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. He had a horrible feeling about this.

"No Branch… it's just awful. It's…" Suki had to choke back a sob before answering. "We were just attacked by a Bergen!"

"WHAT!?" Branch leapt back, immediately turning to retreat back into his bunker, his eyes darting wildly about the forest and his senses instantly on high alert for any threats.

"Branch wait!" Suki grabbed his arm before he could disappear.

"What?" Branch snapped angrily, fear pulsing through his veins. Suki hesitated before continuing.

"We all have to leave, King Peppy told me to come and tell you so that you wouldn't get left behind."

That was weird, why would Poppy not come? He quickly scolded himself for that thought. She must be busy helping everyone, it's not like he was special.

"I'll be perfectly safe in my bunker. I have supplies to last me ten years!" Branch folded his arms stubbornly. Suki shuffled awkwardly, fidgeting with her hands. Was there something she wasn't telling him? Branch's scowl eased when she sniffled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Is… is there something else?" Suki nodded without meeting his eyes. His stomach churned. Now he _knew_ he didn't want to hear this. He let out a breath of air, mentally preparing himself. "Well, let's hear it." Suki was quiet a moment longer before she finally opened her mouth.

"It's… Poppy." Branch's blood ran cold. "The Bergen… it t-took her!" Suki sobbed.

Branch staggered backwards, suddenly finding the world horribly unstable under his feet. He felt like someone had punched him in the stomach, and he had to lean against the boulder for support as his vision swam. This couldn't be real, not her. Out of everyone why did it have to be _her_? The only troll that cared about him in the whole village. But it wasn't just that. It was… _Poppy._ So maybe sometimes he found her too loud or too silly, but he just couldn't imagine troll village without her.

"She sacrificed herself for us. She pushed Creek out of the way and it took her instead!" Suki's voice suddenly dragged him back into the real world. Of course that was why it had taken her. It was because she was being Poppy, putting everyone else before herself. But the fact that she had done it to save Creek made his blood boil. That purple swine didn't deserve her attention.

"Why didn't he help her?" Branch spat angrily, fuelling his emotions into rage at Creek. It was far easier to be angry than sad.

"Th-there was no time…" Suki was taken aback, recoiling a little.

For the first time Branch wished he'd been there. He would have protected her. He _should_ have been there to protect her. Like he needed any more guilt in his life. How could this be happening again? He'd had twenty years to prepare and he still hadn't been able to save the one troll he cared about most. He felt as though stones had been dropped into his stomach, the weight of it threatening to crush him. He balled his fists so tightly that they hurt.

"Where is he?" Branch asked in a low and dangerous voice.

"Everyone's preparing to leave, he's organising things." Branch let out a sharp, sarcastic huff at the idea of Creek taking charge, the opportunistic rat. That was when something else occurred to him.

"…Peppy?" Branch asked softly, the anger draining from his face. His heart grew even heavier when he thought of what Poppy's father must be feeling right now. Suki simply shook her head, dropping her eyes in sorrow.

"Take me to them."

Suki led him back towards the main clearing, where trolls were anxiously gathering possessions they didn't want to leave behind, whilst Creek stood in the centre on a mushroom, barking orders.

"Make sure we have enough food! We don't know how far we need to go yet." He called out to the crowds. Branch hunched his shoulders at the sight of him. Creek didn't look at all remorseful about what had happened. In fact Branch could have sworn he even looked a little gleeful bossing everyone around.

"Where's Peppy?" Branch asked Suki. He didn't want to have anything to do with Creek right now, he didn't feel like he could be held responsible for his actions.

"Over here." Suki led him over to the spot where Peppy still sat hunched over, his face in his hands as the surrounding trolls tried to comfort him. "King Peppy, I brought Branch." Suki announced.

As they grew closer Branch stopped dead in his tracks. The king's once vibrantly orange skin had turned a dull grey, his pink hair now charcoal with silvery threads. The sight made everything feel more real, it was almost too much for Branch to bear. He'd never seen another troll other than himself turn grey, and it was heart wrenching. Peppy lifted his head as they approached, his woeful eyes meeting Branch's.

"Branch, thank goodness. We need to leave." His voice was soft and drained of energy, and Branch felt his heart lurch when Peppy still managed to find it in him to be concerned for Branch. Peppy had always looked out for him when he was younger, a task he had seemingly passed on to Poppy as they both got older.

Branch opened his mouth to say something, but he just couldn't find his tongue. He wanted to express some sort of reassurance or comfort, but what could he possibly say that would help right now? He was no good at this kind of stuff at the best of times. Instead they simply held each other's gaze, silent understanding passing between them.

"Branch! Great, now that everyone is here we can finally set off." Creek strode over boldly, clapping his hands together in a business-like fashion. Branch felt himself tense up again and whirled around to face the smug purple troll.

"You! This is _your_ fault! What are you gonna do about Poppy?" Branch rounded on him, advancing menacingly.

"Me? I fail to see how any of this is my fault." Creek sounded scandalised. He withdrew as Branch came towards him threateningly, retreating until he was backed into a corner.

"She's gone because of you!" Branch yelled in his face.

"It's hardly my fault our gracious princess was the way she was. It was just in her nature to be so selfless. I didn't _ask_ her to save me." His temper was about to blow a fuse at Creek's choice of words. Hearing him use past tense when referring to Poppy made Branch feel sick. Had Creek given up on her already?

"So go after her!"

"I hardly think that would be wise," Creek scoffed, "The Bergen is probably miles away already, and besides – someone has to lead this lot to safety." Branch scowled at him. _Coward_ , he thought bitterly, _like I'd trust you with her life anyway._

"Fine, then I'll go." The words had tumbled out of his mouth before he had even realised what he was doing. He shocked himself at his sudden willingness to put himself at risk, but at the same time he knew he was always going to go. He wasn't ready to admit that she might already be gone. No matter how unlike him it was not to assume the worst outcome, it just wasn't an option in his head. It was too much to deal with.

Everyone in hearing distance stopped what they were doing to stare at him, and a heavy silence hung in the air for an intense moment.

"You?" Creek mocked, stifling a laugh. "Aren't you just going to go back and hide in your bunker?"

"No. I'm going to save her." Branch stared at Creek with a determined glare, not rising to his ridicule. Creek's smug grin fell as he realised Branch wasn't bluffing.

"Branch, are you sure? It's so dangerous," Peppy rose and took a few steps towards Branch.

"I am. I'll do my best King Peppy." Branch replied, his heart racing as he felt all eyes on him.

A small, hopeful smile spread across Peppy's face, and before Branch knew what was going on he had wrapped his arms around the younger troll and pulled him in close.

"Thank you Branch. If anyone can do it it's you." Branch felt a glow in his cheeks at Peppy's kind words. He stood awkwardly while the king hugged him, though he couldn't find the will to hug him back. This was getting too emotional for him, he just wanted to be alone and on his way. He didn't want to crack in front of everyone.

"Everyone can hide in my bunker until I get back," Branch announced, coughing awkwardly as the king released him from the embrace. "There's enough supplies to last everyone at least a couple of weeks. If I'm not back by then…" Branch trailed off.

"We have faith in you." Peppy smiled at him encouragingly. _That makes one of us,_ Branch thought to himself sarcastically. It was a blur as he walked away from the cheering crowd. He barely noticed when they shouted encouragement and wished him luck as he passed through them, they all seemed so distant.

Nothing else mattered now. He had to do this.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope that was reasonably in character! I like to think that Poppy being the one that was taken would change everything for Branch. I hope I'm not wrong. Also regarding who's turned grey and who hasn't – I think Peppy would turn grey because he's old now, and Poppy is his everything. I think he would just be too heartbroken if he lost her. As for Poppy herself, I think she would be able to cling on to her colours even in this situation. She has the knowledge that everyone else is safe, and that's more important to her – hence why she did what she did. In the film she only turns grey when she realises that's the end for everyone, and there is literally nothing at all to live for anymore._

 _I love the idea that Branch has a good relationship with Peppy, I can just see him doing odd jobs for him about town to help out. I like to think that he helped look out for Branch when he was a kid, but they lost touch in the last few years as Peppy became a bit elderly. Maybe it was Peppy's influence that kept Poppy going back (it kind of makes sense) but I like to think she would have done anyway of course XD_

 _I hope people are ok with my representation of Creek. It's another headcanon of mine that he only attaches himself to Poppy because he'd like to be in power/she'd be the best catch of the village sort of thing rather than him actually having any kind of feelings for her. Suki I found tricky to write, as she doesn't say much in the film so I hope she's ok too._

 _Whew enough rambling about headcanons. Thanks for reading :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews! TAPDANCING GIRAF: I know it probably seems like they got away a bit easy/Poppy was pretty on it, but it was necessary for the way I wanted the story to go :P Maybe in this AU Chef is a bit dopier haha!_

 _I hope this chapter reads ok. I've had a super busy week so I've done it in bits and pieces. I probably should have checked it over some more but I just wanted to get it up._

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 **Chapter 2**

Once Branch had finally left his fellow trolls behind he'd had to take a moment just to lean against a plant and take a few heavy breathes, allowing his anxiety to reign for a short time. His departure had been briefly delayed, as he'd had to stop by his bunker first to let the villagers in and pack a quick bag of supplies for his journey. They'd never know how hard it was for him to surrender his safe place to them, watching the supplies he'd so painstakingly collected over twenty years consumed in moments.

But the worst part was the send-off. Somehow the support of all the villagers only made this harder. He was doing this for Poppy and her father not anyone else. But when every troll in the village had cheered him on his way suddenly the pressure threatened to crush him. He'd spent most of his life as a recluse, invisible to most trolls, but suddenly every pair of eyes were on him. It was totally overwhelming. As if the task at hand weren't daunting enough, now he knew the whole village was counting on him too.

He truly hadn't expected such a response, otherwise he would have just slipped away quietly. He didn't think of himself as a hero like Creek did. He was just a scared troll who wasn't ready to accept that the worst had happened. He supposed if he succeeded he would be one? He didn't relish the thought of all the attention that would bring. That was if he did succeed. The thought of returning empty handed to their expectant smiles was unbearable.

After a few minutes of much needed privacy his trembling began to ease and his stomach settled, and once he started walking with a purpose he felt like a different troll. Maybe Poppy was right in her approach to things. Taking action was much easier than hiding and overthinking the situation he quickly realised with surprise. He increased his pace, a determined frown fixed on his face.

Branch managed to find the bergen's footprints relatively easily. It hadn't exactly taken great care when it stomped angrily through the undergrowth after all. The trail did indeed seem to be leading him towards Bergentown as he had expected, but his stomach twisted into knots when he realised the bergen would reach the town far before he would. What would they do with one singular troll? Bergens weren't exactly the sharing kind. Perhaps they would be too busy fighting over her. He shuddered at the thought.

When night fell he was torn as to what to do. He didn't want to stop even for a moment – every second was another second that Poppy could have been eaten. But it was such a long journey, and he knew he needed to rest. He had to be on top form for when he reached Bergentown if he had a hope in hell of saving her. He pressed on for a short while after sunset, but soon the more dangerous predators began to emerge and he knew it would be a folly to try and continue. He knew better than anyone some of the terrible creatures that lived out here, and he couldn't save Poppy if he became a meal himself.

Branch felt horribly exposed sleeping out in the open, so he used his hair to climb a little way up a tree trunk and into a safe looking little nook in the bark. He had a good vantage point from here, and should be well hidden. Still his hands trembled. The stress of the day caught up with him once more, and he lay sleepless for some time. He couldn't stop his mind from calculating all the worst case scenarios, hundreds of horrible outcomes playing relentlessly through his head. The more time passed the more frustrated he felt. He wasn't moving forward but he wasn't getting any rest either. He just kept imagining how Poppy must be feeling right now – if indeed she was still alive, which she had to be – completely alone and in such a grim and hostile environment.

Branch knew she'd never been alone in her whole life. She'd always been surrounded by people who adored her, and she thrived off the love of her friends and her father. He was fairly sure Poppy had never even been in danger before, she'd lived such a sheltered life. He thought of all the times he'd wished her to realise this and winced. She needed a wake-up call sure but he'd never wanted this to happen, she didn't deserve it. She was lucky really – a lot of his frustration with her was routed in his envy of her blissful ignorance.

He wondered if she thought anyone was coming after her. She certainly wouldn't be expecting _him_ of all trolls. How he wished he could send her a message somehow.

"I'm coming Poppy." He whispered fervently to himself, willing her to hear him wherever she was. "Just hold on. I'll reach you." Eventually he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

...

Poppy awoke to the sound of the zipper being torn open. She didn't even remember falling asleep and her heart pounded as she looked about the dark space in panic, sleep still clouding her mind. She felt a pull on her hair and suddenly she was blinded by daylight after the confines of Chef's pouch, the sudden fresh air making her feel light-headed. She dangled helplessly from Chef's repugnant purple claws, her feet a dizzying height off the ground.

As her eyes adjusted she saw a short, green bergen sitting opposite her, a small crown atop his mop of hair. The bergen king she presumed, rose from his throne and as his eyes met Poppy's his face filled with awe. Was this her fate? Was she to be a royal treat?

"You found the trolls!" Poppy shrank away as his chubby little fingers reached out for her, but to her surprise (and Gristle's) Chef smacked his hand away. Was she _not_ going to be fed to the king? Seemingly unfazed, the king continued.

"So this means… I might actually get to be happy!" He bounced gleefully in his chair, and Poppy's stomach roiled. How could anyone be so happy at the prospect of eating a living person? Had they no conscience at all?

"That's right!" Chef leered smugly.

Their words faded into a jumble for Poppy as they began to talk about bringing Trollstice back. This holiday was supposed to be a thing of the past. Having only been a baby when they escaped, it was more of a scary story told to her as a child than a harsh reality. She was dreaming right? She had to still be asleep. For a moment that stretched out into an eternity the room swam and she thought she was going to be sick, her ears ringing and her vision blacking out at the edges. Abruptly some of Gristle's words cut through her daze, clearing her head instantly.

"You have the rest of the trolls too right?" This was the first time Chef had appeared thrown.

"Uhh, well…" She stuttered and the king quickly turned angry.

"How are we supposed to have Trollstice if there's not enough trolls?"

"There's plenty more where that came from sire!" She recovered, finding her tongue. Poppy's blood ran cold.

"Are you sure? I want every Bergen to get a troll."

"No no sire, everything will be fine! Do you know why?" She gave him a broad, sickening smile. "This troll," She bounced Poppy unceremoniously about by the hair, "this is the _princess_!"

Gristle's anger eased somewhat, and he looked from Chef to the pink troll with intrigue.

"I know the location of their village _and_ I have their most precious troll! Getting the rest will be a cinch."

"You'll never take them!" Poppy yelled furiously. Chef growled in irritation and quickly stuffed her back into the stifling confines of her pouch. The stale air and small space worsened Poppy's panicked state, and she felt like she couldn't breathe as the walls closed in around her. She couldn't hear what they were saying anymore, their voices muffled by the fabric of the pouch and drowned out by the rushing sound in her ears. She began to hyperventilate and black spots danced across her vision, before it all turned to black.

The next thing Poppy knew she was being tossed uncaringly from the pouch and landed hard on a cold metal surface. Her cheek stung from the impact, the pain rousing her from unconsciousness. She quickly discovered that she had been thrown into a small metal cage, with bars that were spaced just tantalising far enough apart that she could probably get most of herself out except for her head. Poppy turned around to see Chef fitting the cage door with a padlock the same size as her. She scowled up at the bergen defiantly.

"I don't know how you think you're going to use me but it won't work!" Poppy yelled, stomping her foot and balling her fists.

"Oh, I think it will." Chef smirked confidently.

"They'll already be miles from that spot, they won't wait for you to come back!" Poppy hoped it was true.

"I don't think so. They wouldn't leave without you now would they?" Chef teased her.

Poppy didn't know how to feel. Of course it would be a pleasant thought that they would wait for her, that someone might come and rescue her, but what were the chances? She didn't want the whole village to end up being eaten just for her. And who would come after her? Her father was too old, surely he wouldn't try it? Perhaps… would Creek come and save her? He always seemed so worldly, like he could do anything. The thought of him valiantly storming the castle and whisking her away to safety made her stomach flutter. She quickly shook the image out of her head. She didn't want anyone to get hurt worrying about her, it would be better if they just moved on.

"I'm sure they'll come out of hiding when they hear about all the horrible things I'll do to their princess if they don't." Poppy's heart missed a beat. She looked back up into Chef's blazing red eyes, so full of mirth. What was she going to do to her? The bergen's grin stretched wider at the look of horror on the little trolls face. "Well I'd best hurry back and let them know." Chef made to leave.

"NO! Please don't do this!" Poppy called desperately, but Chef simply laughed at her as she slammed the door behind her.

Poppy fell to the floor of her cage, hugging her knees to her chest in a vain attempt to comfort herself. A sob shook her body, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Before she knew what she was doing instinct had taken over and she found herself softly singing, her voice choked and full of tears.

 _And now it seems that I have found  
Nothing at all  
Want to hear your voice out loud  
Slow it down, slow it down  
Without it all  
I'm choking on nothing  
It's clear in my head  
And I'm screaming for something  
Knowing nothing is better than knowing at all_

 _On my own_

 _On my own…_

She wasn't sure where the song came from, she wasn't even sure she'd eversung such a sad song before. Still, it helped to calm her nerves and kept her tears more or less at bay. Poppy wiped the moisture from her eyes and sniffled. She had to remember the positives. They were all safe. Her father would keep them out of harm's way, he wouldn't let Chef find them. Chances were they had indeed already left the area - there was no reason for them to hang around. Chef could do whatever she wanted to Poppy, it didn't matter.

Poppy curled herself up into a tight ball and closed her eyes tight shut against the gloomy kitchen and the claustrophobic cage bars. She visualised being back home, surrounded by her friends. She could almost feel the warm rays of the sun on her skin, could smell the fragrant plants and flowers, could hear her loved ones laughing and singing. A small smile spread across her face.

...

Branch kicked at the ground angrily. He didn't have time for this! There were so many more tunnel entrances than he remembered. He'd hoped he would recognise which one led to the troll tree when he got here, but they all just looked the damn same! He could feel his anger bubbling up inside him. He couldn't just guess, what was he going to do?

"Choose a hole wisely," A strange, ominous voice suddenly announced. Branch sprang up, his ears pricked for any sound and his eyes scanning the area for the source of the voice.

"For one will lead to Bergentown, and the others… to certain death!" When Branch still couldn't spot anyone, his heart began to race.

"Who said that?!" He yelled angrily, trying to mask his fear.

" _It was_ … me." Branch couldn't believe it as one of the clouds suddenly opened it's eyes, sprouted legs and walked down from the sky and towards him. Was he hallucinating right now? "Hey there! Welcome to the route tunnels. I just wanted to warn you that one of these tunnels leads to the troll tree, and the others to _certain death, death, death…_ " The cloud guy echoed his voice melodramatically as the end and Branch just stared at him with disdain. He did not have time for… whatever this guy was.

"Ooook… _great_. Thanks for the warning." Branch said sarcastically before turning away.

"So you know which one to take right?" Branch bristled as he heard the cloud guy following him. Branch huffed with frustration.

"No," He grudgingly admitted through gritted teeth.

"How are you gonna pick then?" The cloud continued to tease him, his dopey eyes blinking separately. Who was this creep? He didn't need his doubts voicing.

"Look I don't need your help ok! Just leave me alone!" Branch snapped, but the cloud just kept smiling dopily at him.

"It kinda seems like you do. You know I'd hate for you to fall to your doom, or end up in a nest full of troll-eating spiders, or drowning at the bottom of a swamp." Branch's pulse quickened a little at this. Was this guy just winding him up? "I'd be willing to help you you know. I can tell you which one to take, but first you've got to give me a high five!"

"What? No! I don't do high fives!" Branch reeled at the stupidity of the conversation. Did this guy even know at all or was he just taking him for a ride?

"Come ooon, it's just one little high five!" The cloud guy persisted, raising his hand.

"Do you think this is some kind of joke? Every second I waste is another second she could be…" Branch trailed off, for a moment his sorrow dampening his anger. His grief didn't seem to faze the cloud in the slightest.

"If it's so important then why not just do the high five?" The cloud guy quirked an eyebrow at Branch, still holding his hand out as he grinned smugly.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Branch eyed the cloud with suspicion, focusing briefly on his ill-fitting socks.

"Do you see anyone else around here to ask?" It wasn't really an answer but Branch knew it was the truth.

"Urggh, fine!" Branch growled with frustration. It was the best he had. Without a recommendation he would only be guessing anyway, so he had to take the chance. He grudgingly raised a hand to slap the cloud's blue one.

"Too slow!" At the last moment the cloud snatched it away, so Branch's hand fell through the air causing him to lurch forwards. The cloud guy snorted and laughed at his own joke. Branch growled angrily, already turning away towards one of the entrances. He'd rather blindly guess than put up with this time wasting nonsense.

"Hey wait! Come on man I was just having a bit of fun." The cloud guy skipped after him down the tunnel.

"Well I haven't got time for fun! This is serious! The time I've already wasted with you might have been enough to be the difference between her being alive and her being eaten!" Branch yelled angrily, finally wiping the smile of the clouds face. He coughed awkwardly.

"Well then, if you haven't got any time to waste you'd better not take the wrong tunnel." The clouds smirk quickly returned. Before Branch had time to process what he'd said the cloud had turned around and began to run back out of the tunnel, at a surprising pace for a cloud.

"Hey… wait!" Branch tried to keep up. When he emerged back out to the entrances cloud guy had already disappeared. Which one had he taken?

"Hurry up dumpy diapers!" A voice echoed from two tunnels along. Branch quickly darted down and after the cloud, catching sight of a fluffy white bum not too far ahead. He cringed at the sight but pushed his legs as fast as they would go as he tried to keep up.

"Would you slow down? HEY!" Branch could just hear the cloud cackle up ahead.

Soon enough they burst into daylight.

"Tadaa!" The cloud guy threw his arms up the air to celebrate their arrival. Branch looked around in surprise – he actually did know where he was going. Before he could say anything more he realised the cloud was already leaving. "I gotta go, got some cloud stuff to take care of. Catch you on the way back? Unless… you _die die die…_ " Branch just stared at him in disbelief for a few moments before coming back to his senses.

The troll tree…

Branch had only been a small child when they'd evacuated the tree, but he wouldn't have recognised it anyway in the state it was in now. It was withered and leafless, the once lush branches now brittle and brown.

He cautiously approached the edge, peering down into the miserable looking town. A chill ran down his spine as he gazed upon the surly inhabitants, plodding about the streets aimlessly. Every one of them expressed some kind of negative emotion, be it anger, despondency or just plain boredom. He suddenly wondered if this was how he appeared to people, but quickly shook the notion from his head. That kind of thinking wasn't going to help right now.

But where was he going to start? He was just a tiny troll and the town was so dauntingly huge. He felt a moment of despair threaten to well up and consume him, but fought hard to keep it supressed. He had to keep a clear head and just think logically. What would a bergen do with one troll? Surely if they were going to eat it they would have done so right away. So if they wanted to bring Trollstice back they'd have to propose it to the king. The castle seemed the most logical place to start. He could see its craggy peaks where it sat a little higher than the rest of the town. If she hadn't taken Poppy there, he had absolutely zero other leads, so it looked like the decision was made.

Using his hair he swung carefully through the streets, using gutters and telephone wires as handles and running across the rooftops, praying he wouldn't be spotted. He reached the castle relatively swiftly, his heart hammering with adrenaline. But it was a big place, and he still had no clues.

Branch wasn't sure how long he spent searching the various rooms and endless hallways – it felt like they went on forever. He just knew it was taking longer than he wanted. From up on the lamp shades he could see the preparations being made for Trollstice, which made him feel physically sick. He'd overheard several bergens talking excitedly – it seemed Chef and the other cooks had left to obtain the rest of the trolls. His stomach dropped at this, but he knew they were safe in his bunker as long as they stayed there. He tried not to panic thinking about it.

But still there was no mention of Poppy. He started to wonder if he really was too late, with each new room he didn't find her in causing his nerves to grow more and more frail. He found himself fighting back tears, refusing to give in. He still had a few more corridors to check, he didn't have time for crying. Eventually he found a smaller, less grand corridor that led down into the servant's quarters and kitchens.

Branch's heart pounded as he entered the main kitchen, quickly swinging himself up high to the topmost shelves and diving behind some jars. She _had_ to be in here, she just had to. His heart nearly stopped as a soft voice reached his ears.

 _When the night is cold and you feel like no-one knows_  
 _What it's like to be the only one buried in this hole_  
 _You can make it to the sunrise_  
 _You can make it to the sunrise_

Branch would recognise that angelic voice anywhere. He scanned the room frantically, his heart beating so fiercely he thought it was going to burst. His eyes soon landed on a spot of pink inside a small cage, sitting on a table top across the room. He immediately eyed up his surroundings, calculating a route over to the cage and swung over to the lampshade in the centre of the room. Poppy continued to sing, as yet unaware of his presence.

 _Searching for a way to escape the madness_  
 _A dire need for change as we fight for better days_  
 _The hurt and the pain cut deep like a razor blade_  
 _Holding in a cry for love, abandoned and afraid_

The words she sang were such a shock that it made Branch falter. He'd never heard Poppy sing such sad words, and it was gut wrenching. Did she really feel abandoned? He gazed down at her and the sight broke his heart. She was curled up tightly in the centre of the cage, her eyes screwed tight shut as she sung to herself.

 _When the night is cold and you feel like no-one knows_  
 _what it's like to be the only one buried in this hole_  
 _You can make it to the sunrise_  
 _You can make it to the sunrise_

Branch felt a rush of emotion at the thought of seeing her face light up when she realised he'd come to rescue her, that she hadn't been forgotten at all. He quickly looked for a route down to the table, and was a split second away from jumping down when the door was abruptly flung wide open, cutting off Poppy's bittersweet song.

Branch ducked down immediately, cursing himself that he hadn't been quicker and yet acknowledging how close he had just been to getting caught himself. If her song hadn't thrown him, if he hadn't hesitated… well it didn't bear thinking about.

The bergen – Chef he presumed – looked absolutely furious. Branch grinned smugly – their mission to get the rest of the trolls must have been a failure.

"WHERE ARE THEY?" She yelled at Poppy furiously, slamming her hands down on the table and scaring the poor troll half to death. Branch's smile was gone instantly.

"How would I know I've been here!" Poppy yelled back, and Branch felt a moment of pride at her boldness.

"You expect me to believe you don't know where they would go in this situation?"

"Even if I did I wouldn't tell you! I already told you you can do whatever you want to me but you're never getting to them!" Poppy stamped her foot defiantly. _Careful Poppy…_ Branch thought worriedly. She might have given up on her own life but he hadn't given up on hers. There was no way he could face seeing her get killed right in front of him.

Chef snarled in frustration. She turned and snatched a pair of tongs off the counter and reached for Poppy's cage. Branch gasped, his stomach constricting painfully. What was this Bergen going to do to her? Before Poppy had time to react Chef had opened the cage and reached in to grab her with the tongs. She tried to scramble away but Chef easily seized her by the hair, dragging her out and moving toward the fireplace.

"No!" Branch choked out, barely able to stop himself from shouting.

Chef dangled Poppy over the open flames as she struggled, pulling desperately in a futile attempt to release her hair. The flames licked dangerously close, the heat searing her soft pink skin.

"Urgh… no! Please… please!" Poppy cried as she writhed, but the grip on her hair was too strong for her to overcome. She could feel her toes getting singed and tried to curl herself away.

"Are you ready to tell me where they are?" Chef enquired.

"No! I told you… never!" Poppy's voice wasn't quite as strong as before, now it wavered with pain and fear.

It was too much for Branch to endure. What could he do? He couldn't just sit here and watch her get cooked alive! He looked desperately around the room for some inspiration, for anything that could help. He couldn't just swing down from this angle, they would both just end up in the fire. Poppy's whimpers of pain cut through him like a knife. He could tell she was trying to be brave, but it had to hurt.

"What's the point of protecting them, they clearly didn't care what I was going to do to you." Chef goaded her nastily.

"That… that doesn't matter," Poppy coughed, the smoke starting to get to her. Chef tipped her slightly closer to the flames, and she could feel her bangs beginning to sizzle, her cheeks stinging from the heat. She couldn't breathe, and she could feel a fierce panic beginning to take hold of her body. Branch was on the brink of jumping down even without a plan at this point, but at the last second Chef retracted Poppy from the fire and flung her back into her cage.

The bergen growled with irritation. A burnt troll would taste horrible, she'd just have to think of something else unpleasant to do to break the princess. At that moment another cook popped his head in the door, looking nervous.

"The king wants to see you." He announced quickly, before fleeing once more. Chef's expression instantly turned to one of concern. No doubt the king would want to hear about the success of her mission to retrieve the trolls. She had to come up with something and fast.

"This isn't over." Chef growled at Poppy before storming back out of the kitchen.

Poppy coughed from where she lay on the cool metal floor of her cage. The cold surface felt soothing against her burning skin, so she didn't bother to get up. Her throat felt horribly raw, but she didn't expect she'd be getting water any time soon. She could only hope that she was strong enough that Chef wouldn't be able to break her. She felt tears begin to prickle at her eyes, and a sob caught in her throat. She'd never felt so alone in all her life. She didn't even feel like singing.

A soft thump sounded next to her, and her ears perked up.

"Poppy?"

Had a voice really just whispered her name, or was it just wishful thinking? Or perhaps a hallucination - she did feel dizzy from all the smoke. She raised her head slowly, almost afraid to ruin the illusion. The face her eyes fell upon could not have surprised her more. Her mouth fell open, but she found herself speechless. Was this real?

"Poppy! Are you ok?" Branch's face was creased with worry, his ice blue eyes shining with moisture. He gripped the bars of her cage fervently.

"B-branch?" She sniffled, pushing herself unsteadily to her feet with shaking arms.

"It's ok! I'm gonna get you out!" Branch could see her confusion, she clearly couldn't think straight after her ordeal. He saw something click and her face turned to one of desperate relief in an instant, and she flung herself towards him.

"Branch! I can't believe you're here!" She tried to be brave but a couple of tears escaped her eyes as she grabbed the cage from her side. Branch didn't waste a second, quickly reaching into her hair to grab the crafting scissors he knew would be tucked away inside, and jamming them into the padlock to release her.

He'd barely removed the lock when she threw herself into his arms. The shock nearly overwhelmed him and for a moment he stood frozen as she squeezed him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. But when he felt her body quaking with sobs he cautiously wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. No matter how much her hugs had vexed him in the past he felt undeniably relieved to be embracing her once again. He thought he'd lost her, but here she was safe in his arms. He let out a shakey breath of relief, sinking deeper into the hug. The feel of her soft, fuzzy skin against his own made his heart sing, filling him with warmth. She smelt a bit smokey but he could still detect her distinctive Poppy scent – she smelt sweet like candy. He let it cloud his mind a moment longer before coming to his senses.

"Come on, not here." He said softly, gently prying her grasp away from his body.

"Sorry," She sniffled, trying to centre herself.

"It's ok," He looked at her apologetically, feeling unusually shaken from seeing her crumble. "We just have to get out of here before she comes back. Can you follow me?" She nodded more resolutely, gradually looking more like herself. Branch gave her a brave smile before throwing his hair out, and swinging himself back up high to the shelves.

They easily left the kitchen behind, but as they were running down a high shelf along a corridor, Poppy began to cough. Branch looked back to see her falling behind, quickly coming to a stop.

"I'm ok, keep going," She croaked out, trying to hold back the coughs. Branch looked at her anxiously. "I'm fine!"

"No you're not." He said firmly, pulling her against the wall and sitting her down. "You need water, and rest." His brow crinkled with worry.

"Well we can get that when we get out of here." She said trying to stand back up, before another bout of coughing forced her back down. "Ugh… ok so maybe I'm not so fine." Her head swam dizzily.

Branch looked around, letting out a sigh of frustration. They couldn't stay here, they were too exposed. There were lots of nooks and crannies in the castle walls that he'd used to get about. They could probably remain undiscovered in one of these high up crevices for some time but it wasn't going to be easy to get out of the castle once Chef discovered Poppy was missing. He looked back at Poppy. She stared vacantly at the ground, her breathing heavy and her skin paler than usual. There was nothing for it, she couldn't go on like this. They had to rest. He'd have to worry about getting out of the castle later.

"Come on, there's a crack in the wall over there where we can hide for a bit." He gestured across the hallway to a door frame with a big crack that reached up to the ceiling. Poppy gazed up at him dazedly, her eyes unfocused. Branch sighed, and blushing he reached down to pick her up.

Poppy just continued to stare at him, her eyes widening a little in surprise as he hoisted her up, clutching her securely to his body. She couldn't make her mouth form words but before she knew it he had leapt from the ledge and they were swinging through the air to reach the designated hiding spot. Once they were safely hidden inside Branch gently set her back down on the floor.

"Thank you," She said sincerely, still gazing at him curiously. She still couldn't believe that it was Branch that was here. Of all the trolls in troll village why was it him that had come to her rescue? The one troll who seemed more afraid of bergens than anyone else? She didn't even think that he liked her. She opened her mouth to ask him but her raw throat caught, making her cough once again. "Ugh," She groaned.

"Are you ok?" Branch asked her, concern etched into his features.

"My face hurts." She muttered sadly.

Branch eyed her sore skin. It didn't look too bad thankfully, but her cheeks and nose were a bit red. He wished he was back at his bunker, he'd have just the right ointment to sooth her burns.

"Is it bad?" She asked worriedly, making him realise he'd been staring at her.

"No no, it's nothing worse than a little sunburn." Branch reassured her and she gave him a small, warm smile of thanks. It was so good to see her smiling again that he found it contagious, a grin spreading across his own face. She was so beautiful when she smiled. He reached a hand out to tenderly push her singed bangs off her sore skin, tucking them behind her ears. When she looked up at him with surprise he realised what he was doing, quickly flinching his hand away.

"Uhhh… I'm gonna go find you some water." He said quickly turning his face away so she couldn't see his own burning cheeks. Thankfully his announcement distracted her from his momentary lapse of self-control.

"What? No you can't!" She grabbed his hand, pulling him back. He looked from their clasped hands to her worried face with shock.

"But you need water,"

"No, I need you to stay here! What if you don't come back? I don't want to be alone again!" She panicked, desperation in her eyes.

"Poppy… I will come back," He assured her, placing his own hand over hers. It unsettled him to see her so unhinged. He'd never really seen anything faze her before, she was the kind of troll that wore a brave face no matter what.

"But… but…" Poppy floundered for a comeback, her argument falling flat.

"As soon as you feel better we can get out of here, and you need water to feel better." He reasoned out. She frowned and looked down at the ground, knowing he was right. Her throat screamed for water.

Branch began to pull away. He knew his best bet was to go back to the kitchen, but it was of course the last place he wanted to be. The sooner he was in and out the less likely he was going to bump into Chef on the way. He was startled as once more Poppy threw her arms around his neck.

"Please come back." She whispered into his neck.

"I will, I promise." Branch tentatively hugged her back. He hadn't returned a hug in twenty years and here he was doing it for the second time in one day. What was happening to him? His stomach tingled strangely and he suddenly felt horribly self-conscious. He cleared his throat, awkwardly breaking off the hug and backing away. Poppy just stared after him dejectedly.

"Just try and get some rest and I'll be back before you know it. Don't leave this spot, and don't make any noise!" He said sternly, pointing a warning finger at her. She plopped herself back down, rolling her eyes at his instruction.

"I won't so long as you hurry back!" She threw back testily. Branch scowled at her words, but knew it was the best he was going to get. At least she was acting more like her usual self. He turned away, and hurried back towards the kitchen.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope I didn't ramble too much in this chapter! The lyrics are 'On My Own' by the Used and 'Sunrise' by Our Last Night. I like alternative music so I hope it's not too weird a combo, I imagine Poppy singing them very sweetly. I just wouldn't know what to pick otherwise. It is very hard to find lyrics that suit a situation and I've never done it before so I hope it worked ok D: I just know I probably couldn't do a Trolls story without having Poppy sing at some point!_

 _I like to think Branch would be a lot more short tempered with Cloud Guy in this situation. He's in more of a rush and doesn't have Poppy to lighten his mood. Also, I can't write funny bits so I really just needed to get past Cloud Guy XD sorry if it sucked. Also h_ _ave you ever noticed cloud guy has a butt? I noticed it for the first time when going back over their encounter for this and now I can't unsee it._

 _I don't know if I will be writing about Bridget's story – I don't think two trolls could even make that head of hair? I feel sad to miss her out but at the same time I don't know how to fit her in, and I really just want to write this for the Broppy moments, I don't think I'd do her justice and wouldn't want to put her in just for the sake of it. I hope it doesn't disappoint anyone too much D: I'm not 100% sure yet anyway, it depends what ideas I get for this. I know how I want it to end but I still have to decide about the next bit. I'll do my best to get it written soon as possible, but it's London Comic Con this weekend so it won't be until next week, sorry! Thanks for reading :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thanks so much for the lovely reviews! Sorry for the shorter chapter, I was away all weekend so I didn't have a chance to write and I have friends visiting this week so this is my only chance to get something uploaded! Sorry if it's not quite as up to standard, the next chapter will be better._ _Tealbull81 – Yeah I think I surprised myself at how quickly this got angsty! Just can't stop myself. I think Chef would go a bit nuts though, she has less in my story than she had in the film so she'd be more desperate and I think she'd be willing to go to any lengths. SimonDiamondDoll – Thanks for the reassurance about not including Bridget. I haven't fit her in yet, but you never know! And yes in my head Creek will always be the cowardly villain :P as much as I do enjoy a good love triangle too._

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Getting in and out of the kitchen had been a cinch for Branch. He'd easily managed to acquire some water by fashioning a bottle out of a small vial he'd emptied herbs from, and was feeling quite proud of himself. He tied the vial around his back and began the ascent back up to the hallway where Poppy awaited his return. A small voice in his head yelled at him for doing something so rash. Had he really just risked himself to show off to the princess? No of course not he argued with himself - she was in discomfort and needed the water. He was simply being a gentleman and this would speed up her recovery.

However getting back across the hallway to where Poppy waited for him was proving a little harder. A bergen guard now hovered in the doorway which lay directly below their hiding place, and if Branch swung over now he would surely be spotted. He waited anxiously on the shelf, hidden in the shadows just out of sight. He just needed the damn bergen to turn around, if only for a few seconds.

Branch was growing more agitated by the second. He needed to get this water to Poppy and he knew she'd be worried too. He wasn't sure how long he'd been waiting for the guard to move but it felt like forever. The last thing he needed was for her to get impatient and break her cover to try and find him. She wouldn't see the guard standing below and would almost certainly be noticed. He clenched his fists tightly in frustration.

Time seemed to stretch out unbearably slowly, until finally something happened. Branch's stomach lurched as Chef stomped around the corner, breaking the tension and silence abruptly. He shrank back into the darkness as far as he could as the angry bergen stormed down the corridor, shoving past he guard rudely as she made for the kitchen.

Branch's pulse quickened. He knew now things were going to get a lot worse very rapidly. Chef would soon find Poppy gone, and she _already_ seemed mad. Sure enough within moments he heard her furious shriek from below, the clattering sound of pans and who knows what else being flung around the kitchen echoing up the halls. The guard shrank back a little apprehensively, but a flash of pink was what caught Branch's eye.

Poppy had crept out of her hiding place in the wall upon hearing Chef's anger, clearly worried that Branch had been discovered. Heart racing and without a second thought Branch stepped into plain view, holding this hands up to Poppy in an attempt to signal her to stay back.

Everything happened very quickly then. Poppy saw Branch, a look of relief washing over her, quickly followed by confusion at his gestures. But the bergen guard below her also saw him.

"Hey you!" The bergen shouted, scowling angrily and pointing his spear at Branch.

Branch's blood ran cold, but worse was yet to come. He turned to see the bergen Chef glaring at him furiously from the other end of the corridor. Between the two, he was trapped.

He looked across to see Poppy looking panic stricken on the other side. He had to try and make it, it was his only chance. He flung his hair out desperately to the chandelier, swinging as urgently as he could manage. If he could just reach the crack in the wall…

But he just wasn't fast enough. One moment he was swooping closer and closer to Poppy's outstretched arms, the next he felt a tug on his hair and was being flung backwards. The guard had reached up with his spear and blocked his swing, his black hair tangling uselessly around the end of the staff. He struggled against it with all his might but Chef's hand soon lunged down to snag him from the weapon. Chef dangled him by his hair in front of her face, inspecting him with confusion.

"Where did you come from? What did you do with the princess?" She questioned him angrily, her breath hot and rank in his face and painfully loud this close to his sensitive ears. Branch scowled back at her, fighting fruitlessly against her grip. His heart pounded fiercely but nonetheless he opened his mouth to yell some insult back, but he was abruptly cut off by another voice that made his stomach turn.

"Branch NO!" Poppy cried out. Branch felt his heart sinking as he saw the pink troll swinging through the air towards him. _Poppy… don't do it!_ His mind cried out. What was she thinking? But it was already too late, the bergens had seen her.

"Ahh, there you are." Chef smirked a horrible toothy grin, easily reaching out a hand to snatch the pink troll from the air.

Branch could hardly watch. He saw the horror of realisation that she'd made a mistake on Poppy's face as the hand closed around simply laughed as she dangled Poppy next to Branch, Poppy now fighting and struggling whilst Branch hung despondently. It was all over, he'd failed her. How could they possibly get out of this now? He caught Poppy's eye and she must have seen the despair on his face as she soon stopped thrashing. He saw tears well up in her shocked eyes as the gravity of the situation dawned on her and had to look away – he couldn't bear it anymore.

Chef turned and headed back toward the kitchen, still chuckling to herself at her good fortune. Once they reached the dark, foreboding room again she flung them both back into Poppy's cage, slamming the door and padlocking it once more. The two trolls tumbled in, falling roughly onto the metal floor.

"So glad your little friend could join us princess. He's just in time for the feast!" Chef left the kitchen gleefully, still laughing.

There was a tense silence as both trolls sat up, both avoiding each other's gaze.

"I'm so sorry…" Poppy whispered, causing Branch to look up at her cautiously. "I didn't think about what I was doing, I just saw her grab you and I… I couldn't _not_ do anything, I just…" Poppy sniffled as she got choked up. She knew she had screwed up big time.

"No Poppy, I'm sorry. You were right, I shouldn't have taken the risk to go back." Branch dropped his gaze back to the floor gloomily.

"You were just being kind, trying to get me water." Poppy shook her head at his words.

"No. I failed you." Branch said stubbornly, his tone silencing her. He scrunched his eyes closed as the sorrow threatened to overwhelm him. He hadn't felt this bad since… he shook that thought from his mind. He'd never wanted to feel this way again, and yet twenty years of dedicated preparation and here he was.

"Why didn't you just hide? You could have got away." Branch couldn't hold in the frustration. He just couldn't get his head around her actions, why did she throw her life away like that? He could have died peacefully knowing he'd at least got her out, but this… this was too painful.

"You would have done the same. Well… you probably would have done something less stupid but you would have come after me."

"That's not the same." He dismissed her words.

"Why not?"

"Because you're worth saving." The words were out his mouth before he'd even thought about them. Her mouth hung open in shock before her brow creased into a frown.

"And you're not? That's ridiculous!" Poppy's temper flared.

"No it's not. You're the princess. You have friends, your father who needs you. The whole village loves you and you're their future. No one needs me."

Poppy faltered. It was true that Branch didn't have any connections within the village and there was no arguing that he was partly to blame for that. He wasn't the friendliest of trolls after all. She had no idea what had happened to his family but as far as she was aware he didn't have any left.

"I care about you." She said truthfully.

"Look I'm not fishing for compliments ok, it's just a fact. I know it's my fault. I keep myself isolated, and I never let anyone get close on purpose." He responded testily. He did not want to be having this conversation.

"Why would you do that?" Poppy asked bewildered. Branch drew in a sharp breath – he'd said too much already.

"That doesn't matter. The point is I never gave anyone any reason to like me, and surprise surprise – they don't."

"Well I do." Poppy said frankly. Branch looked at her sceptically, searching for the joke. "I mean it. I can see that this grouchy person isn't who you really are."

"How would you know?" Branch retorted petulantly, trying not to show how unsettled this made him feel.

"Because I can _see_ you Branch. You just showed me how sweet you can be when you rescued me." She watched as his expression softened but he refused to meet her eyes, choosing instead to stare sulkily at his feet.

"I'm not going to leave this place without you. Whatever happens it happens to both of us." She walked over to him and gently placed a hand over his, her voice sincere. "I'd rather be right here with you than out there on my own."

"Poppy…" Branch whispered, stunned by her words. Their eyes locked intensely.

At that moment Chef burst back into the room, and Poppy flinched closer to Branch. Her eyes grew wide as she saw a second cage dangling from the bergen's claws. Branch got to his feet and moved protectively in front of Poppy, a frown of determination on his brow. But neither of them could do a thing as Chef unlocked the cage, reaching in to grab Branch by the hair.

"No!" Poppy grabbed onto his arm desperately. After the moment they'd just had, all the things she'd just said, they couldn't be separated! The only thing they had left was each other.

"Ah ah ahh, not you princess. I still need you." Chef leered as she pried Poppy away with a claw. Try as she might Poppy was no match for her strength and tumbled backwards. The cage was locked once more by the time she had found her feet but she ran to bars anyway, clutching them fiercely.

"Give him back!" She cried distraughtly, knowing how pointless her words were.

"I don't think so." Chef chuckled, bemused. "This guy is my ticket to appeasing the king." Poppy's stomach dropped sickeningly at her words. She looked with despair from Chef's smug grin to Branch's despondent face as he hung limply from his hair. "You're too important to eat right now, but this one," She bounced Branch unceremoniously in her grip before tossing him into the second cage. "He will be the perfect appetiser to prove to King Gristle that I _can_ provide for Trollstice."

"No, please!" Poppy gasped as Chef cackled menacingly, but the bergen had already turned towards the door, cage in hand. "BRANCH!" She yelled after him, tears beginning to escape down her cheeks. Suddenly she found her legs couldn't support her weight any longer, and she sank to her knees.

How could it have turned out this way? She had messed up so bad and now Branch was going to be eaten because of her. He'd been so brave, so gentle and so kind to her. He'd come all this way on his own and they'd been so close to escaping. For the first time in years she'd felt like she was finally getting through to him, like she might be getting to know the _real_ Branch, and now just like that it was all over. She didn't know it was possible to feel hurt like this. She clasped at her chest as though she could hold the broken pieces of her heart together.

Poppy noticed something then on the cage floor where they had been sat so close only moments before. She walked over to it, her heart surging as she felt the metal floor still warm under her feet where he had been sitting not seconds ago. She knelt down on the spot and picked up the small glass vial. Furrowing her brow she inspected the item, until she realised what it was. She gasped – after all that he'd managed to get her the water. He must have put it down when she hadn't noticed.

A sob caught in her throat and soon tears began to flow freely down her glittery cheeks. She clutched the water to her chest fervently as she wept.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope this isn't too dark, it's about to get heavier in the next chapter. I wasn't intending this to be quite so angsty but my stories do always seem to end up this way. Apparently I get my kicks from putting my favourite characters through hell (wtf is wrong with me). I do have some ideas for more light-hearted stories as well! I will have to make an effort to write more fluff._

 _Thanks for reading, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon as I can. :3_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: So here's the other half of the chapter! Sorry for posting them separately, I got this done as soon as I could. Thanks so much for the reviews, hope you enjoy this one! It's intense ;D_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"But… why's it grey?" Gristle frowned at the captive troll before him. "This one's not colourful at all!" Chef's confident expression fell somewhat as the king's unexpected response. She leaned in closer to the cage she had set on the table before him, peering at the specimen in question. In all honesty she hadn't even noticed Branch's colouring before now, she'd been too caught up in the moment.

"All trolls are different colours sire, this one's just not _quite_ as bright." She plastered a broad smile on her face and nudged the cage closer to Gristle.

"I dunno… my dad always said to avoid the grey ones. He said they make you sad instead of happy." Branch's eyes widened at the king's words. He didn't know if it was true and it was a pretty gloomy thought but if it spared his life he'd take it. It was about time twenty years of being grey and miserable paid off.

"Err…" Chef stumbled, her plan losing strength. True she had always chosen the brightest coloured individuals when cooking up a meal, but only because they looked the best on a plate. Had anyone even bothered tasting a grey troll before? She wasn't sure she'd ever even seen one. Right now though they didn't have the luxury to be fussy. "Are you sure that isn't just a myth sire?" She smiled sweetly, trying to convince him. But when Gristle's face turned to thunder she quickly realised she'd said the wrong thing.

"If my father said it was true then I'm not eating it." He crossed his arms in a huff, glaring at Chef.

"Of course sire. My deepest apologies for serving you such a specimen." She stumbled over her words in a panic. Had she really just insulted the king's late father? "I will away immediately to find you a better one." She bowed as low as she could, rapidly retreating from his flaring temper.

"You better! If you don't have the trolls by tomorrow you'll be sorry!" Gristle shouted after her furiously as she fled the hall.

Branch's mind raced. He'd been resigned to his fate ever since they'd both been captured. He knew his prospects still weren't great, but he felt giddy from relief. The feeling however was to be short lived.

"You'll be sorry you little worm." Chef grumbled as she stomped down the hallway, her face livid from her humiliation. "If you can't be eaten and your precious little princess won't talk then I'll feed _her_ to the king instead!" Branch's blood ran cold at her malicious words. Chef could do whatever she wanted to Branch but the thought of Poppy becoming the meal in his place was unthinkable. He couldn't live knowing she'd died in his place, it would kill him.

All too soon they were back in the dingy kitchen and his eyes immediately sought out Poppy, curled up in the centre of her cage. Her face was tear stained and he could have sworn that she was less pink than usual. Chef slammed his prison down onto the table near to hers, bouncing him mercilessly against the bars before she stormed back out of the kitchen without another word.

Branch clambered shakily to his feet, his head spinning from Chef's rough treatment and the adrenaline that still coursed through his veins. He looked across to Poppy's cage and saw her mouth pop open in shock as her eyes landed on him. It took a moment for it to sink in before her face lit up with a smile once more, her colours shining brightly.

"Branch? You're alive! I can't believe it!" Poppy exclaimed, a few fresh tears of joy escaping her eyes. "I was so sure…" She choked on a sob, "I thought you were gone…"

Her words faded into the background because Branch had just had the best, _worst_ idea of his life. It just might save her life but the thought of doing it made him want to be sick. He was going to have to dig deep, because he'd do anything to save her life. _Anything._

"Branch?" Poppy had noticed his expression had turned forlorn and he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Are you ok?" She asked nervously, wishing more than anything that she could hug him tight right now. What had happened up there?

Branch clenched his fists, stealing himself to do what he knew he must but the words stuck in his throat. This was not going to be easy. Poppy was the happiest, most positive troll in the whole village. To go through what she already had and retain her colours proved that. But he'd had plenty of experience being the most negative troll of all – if anyone could do this it was him. He had to.

"No, of course I'm not ok." Branch grumbled sourly, gritting his teeth before continuing. "And it's all your fault."

"W-what?" Poppy stared at him in shocked confusion, but Branch still wouldn't look at her. Had he really just said that?

"I said it's your fault we're stuck in this mess." He raised his voice determinedly. "If you'd just waited, if you'd used your head for a single second… you could have got me out. Heck if you'd just listened to me in the first place and not thrown that stupid party." He was still being too soft he knew, he wasn't cutting deep enough. Being unpleasant to her had always come naturally before but suddenly he found it to be the hardest thing in the world. It made him feel even more ashamed of how he'd treated her in the past.

She continued to stare at him, utterly speechless, the smile gradually slipping from her face as she realised he was being serious. _Come on Branch, you're good at being mean._ "I wish I'd never come here. You've just got us both killed."

"Branch I… I'm sorry," Poppy's voice began to shake with distress. Why was he being this way all of a sudden? What had happened to him up there? She knew Branch could be unkind but this was different. This hurt.

"Yeah well, sorry isn't going to undo your mess is it?" Branch swallowed against the lump in his throat. _Keep going. You have to go deeper._ "I went through all of this for what? Some silly, empty-headed princess?" He saw the temper spark in her eyes then.

"If you didn't _want_ to save me then why _did_ you come?" Poppy tried to sound angry at him, but her voice shook and betrayed her. All of the things he was saying had been playing on her mind, but this point in particular. She never had had the chance to ask him why it had been him that came to her rescue.

"I didn't _want_ to come. Your father ordered me to." Branch lied through his teeth. Poppy frowned - that didn't sound like her father. But maybe… everyone knew Branch had the tools and the know-how, and she could only imagine how upset her father must have been. She felt a fresh wave of shame at that. But did it make more sense than Branch coming to save her of his own free will? Of all the trolls in the village the one troll who shunned everyone else, who feared the bergens the most, that he would _choose_ to come to Bergentown to try and rescue her? He'd only ever been mean to her in the past. Her head spun with confusion. Nothing was making sense anymore.

Branch could see Poppy's face scrunch up in uncertainty as she tried to puzzle it out. She knew her dad better than that of course, he had to make this more believable.

"He used my bunker to hide everyone. I couldn't bear to stay in there with them and their," he mimed being sick dramatically, " _hug time_ anyway." Poppy scowled at him. Of course he couldn't stand being in such close proximity to so many people.

"As if I'd risk my life to save _you_ if I had a choice." Branch spat the words, feeling the bile rising in his throat. Would she ever forgive him for this? He supposed it didn't matter. Freedom was a long way from where they were right now anyway. He had to turn his face away from her as he felt tears threaten his eyes. _Stay strong._ It was a good job he was _already_ grey.

"Branch… stop," Poppy's voice wobbled as she pleaded him. "I really thought… you cared," She sniffled, tears beginning to spill from her eyes. Was this even the same troll? How could he have been so sweet before?

Branch felt his heart splinter. He stole a glance at the poor troll as she began to crumble, her red cheeks wet with tears. Her colours were dimmer, but still there. Damn it she was strong. He still wasn't hitting hard enough. He'd been unnecessarily mean to her for years, of course what he thought of her wasn't enough to break her. He had to go bigger. What was it that was keeping her colours going?

Of course… her father, her friends, the village. She still had hope while she believed they were safe. He had to make her feel how he had felt on that terrible day - like she had nothing left in the world. No one deserved to feel that way, least of all Poppy. He didn't want her to know grief like that. But it was the only way to protect her – he had to do it. Branch took a deep breath.

"Do you want to know why they didn't eat me?" Branch asked as he balled his fists at his sides. Poppy looked up at him through her tears, her eyes scared but curious. "It was because I made a deal with them." He couldn't look her in the eyes as he said the words. He didn't want to see the hatred he knew would be directed at him. "I said I'd tell them where the villagers are hiding in exchange for my life." He heard her gasp in horror.

"No… you wouldn't do that. I know you Branch you wouldn't…" _Dammit Poppy._ Even now she was trying to see the good in him. He felt a spark of irritation at her stubbornness and fuelled it into his words.

"You don't know _anything_ about me Poppy. But I thought you'd know one thing, and that's the lengths I'd go to avoid being eaten by a bergen. I spent the last twenty years of my life making a bergen-proof bunker for hairs sake. You think I wouldn't do this?" For the first time he looked her straight in the eyes, being sure to keep his gaze icy and clear of emotion. He had to make her believe this.

"No…" She whispered. "I… I don't believe you," He could see her certainty wavering. It hurt that she could think him capable of it, but this was necessary.

"It's done. I already told them." He scowled hard at her. This was his last shot. "The bergens are preparing to leave and collect them now."

Branch saw then the moment that she broke. He saw it in her eyes first and then _finally_ , the colours began to drain from her pink skin. She fell to her knees, dropping her gaze to the floor as she softly wept. Branch let out a quiet breath of relief – she was safe now _._ He turned away from the sight of his crushed princess, unable to look anymore. It was undoubtedly the worst thing he had ever seen, and the thought that he had made it happen made his stomach churn. He moved to the furthest side of his cage away from her and sank to the floor, his hands trembling. He had done a terrible thing and now he could only wait and see if it had been worth it.

Poppy's mind reeled. This was too much to take in. Being captured herself was one thing, and watching Branch being taken had been another entirely. But this… this _couldn't_ be real. She'd never felt sorrow like this before. It felt like it had consumed her very soul. How was it that she had once smiled, or laughed or sung? She had suddenly forgotten what those things even felt like.

She knew Branch wasn't one for the company of other trolls and she knew how much he feared the bergens, but this wasn't the troll that had pulled her from this very cage only hours before and held her in his arms. That troll had risked everything to try and save her. He'd even gone back just to get her a drink of water. How could the same troll have said all those awful things? How could he betray the whole village? He might be afraid but she had witnessed his bravery first hand. She just couldn't believe that he would be capable of doing this.

' _Because you're worth saving,' h_ is words from earlier echoed around her head. It just didn't add up. If he thought he wasn't worth the risk why would he put the whole village before himself? But why would on Earth would he lie about something like this? Her head spun dizzily, overloaded with confusion and grief.

Poppy dared to steal a glance at the grey troll. He'd moved as far away from her as he could within the confines of his cage and sat with his back to her. His ears drooped miserably but that was all she could make out. She wished she could see his face. _'I wish I'd never come here.'_ Why did his words hurt so badly? She'd always been able to take his insults on the chin before. But she felt like they had formed a bond in their short but intense time together. Had it all been lies?

"Branch…" She whispered mournfully, not expecting any kind of response or even sure if he could hear her.

Branch winced as he heard his name leave her lips, but refused to turn and face her. For a time there was nothing but the sound of her soft sobs, every hitched breath like a knife to his heart.

It could have been minutes or hours later the two trolls were so lost in their misery, but inevitably Chef returned, tailed by two fellow cooks.

"Right you, this is your last cha-" Chef stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the grey princess before her. "What? What happened to you?" She demanded, her voice tight with panic and anger. Poppy frowned in confusion, glaring up at Chef weakly. "Why are _you_ grey now?" Poppy looked down at her hands despondently and her stomach turned. She hadn't even realised… she had turned grey just like Branch. Was this what he always felt like?

"Chef? The king is waiting. He wants to know how you're getting the other trolls." The cook behind her prompted.

"Yes I know he's waiting!" She snapped testily. Her plan to feed the princess to him instead had been her last idea.

Poppy watched the exchange with some confusion. Hadn't they already gone to get the villagers? Branch flinched in the cage next to her. They couldn't undo what he'd done now, not when they were so close.

"Arggh grab those cages and follow me." Chef grumbled, gesturing at the two trolls. Perhaps she could convince King Gristle they were ok to eat after all. The caged trolls were picked up and they all made their way back up to the royal hallway, where the king was irately awaiting Chef's presence.

"Finally! What's taking so long? Are we having Trollstice tomorrow or not?" Gristle had reached the end of his tether waiting for Chef to deliver.

"I… uhh…" Chef stuttered, grasping for a plan. She hadn't seen Poppy's desaturation coming and now she was completely thrown. Gristle's frown deepened at her lack of response. Then he noticed the trolls, his eyes darting from one cage to the other.

"Wait… I thought only one of the trolls was grey? What happened?" He got up from his throne to take a closer look. The cooks set the two cages down on the table before him. He looked from one miserable troll to the other, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Wasn't this one bright pink?" He looked to Chef.

Branch stole a glance at Poppy. She wouldn't even look up from the floor where she knelt. Her pale grey skin made her look like a ghost, her spirit long gone. His heart twisted.

"I… I'm not sure what happened sire. She was… but…" Chef was at a loss now. She didn't have a clue why this had happened. As far as she was concerned these little creatures were just food.

Gristle stared at Poppy hard. The little troll looked so sad. Was it possible there was more to these creatures than he thought? "You – princess. Answer me. What happened to you?" Poppy finally looked up and met his gaze and he was stunned by the intensity of her misery. Poppy made no response – what was the point? She had nothing left to say. But her look of anguish was meaningful enough. Gristle saw his own sadness there, reflected in her pale pink eyes.

"She… she's grey because she's sad." Gristle looked from Poppy to Chef, the realisation dawning on him as his anger melted away. His mind whirled as a new perspective opened up to him. If trolls could be sad just like bergens, did that mean they were people just like them? What was the difference between them? He looked around the room as the preparations for Trollstice continued around them. Was this… wrong?

Gristle looked at Branch. The male troll was gazing unwaveringly at Poppy with so much emotion in his eyes, and suddenly Gristle could see it. Love, desperation, heartbreak – countless emotions, all of them ones he had experienced himself. Suddenly everything seemed different.

"Guards unlock these cages." He demanded firmly. Every head in the room turned to look at him with shock, and the room fell silent.

"Sire? You can't!" Chef spluttered as the two cooks either side of her moved to remove the padlocks.

"I _what_?" Gristle asked dangerously, and Chef shrank back. "I'm the _king_. I can do whatever I want." He gestured to the guards either side of him. "Guards, seize her." The guards grasped her arms without hesitation as her mouth fell open with shock.

The two trolls were tumbled out of their cages onto the table. Poppy looked around in confusion, utterly baffled by the turn of events. Branch looked across to her worriedly, a flicker of hope in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to run to her and comfort her, but the stakes were too high. What was about to happen to them? Would Poppy even want to be near him ever again? She stole a glance towards him and their eyes met for an intense moment, neither one able to read what the other was thinking.

"What are you doing? Get your hands off me!" Chef fought angrily as the guards restrained her. "Are you out of your mind? I can make you happy again! I'll find the trolls!" She yelled, starting to sound desperate.

"You had your chance! We couldn't have Trollstice with just two grey trolls we can't eat anyway." Gristle looked at the trolls before him thoughtfully, seeing the hope sparkling in their eyes. Poppy got cautiously to her feet, nervously taking a couple of steps towards the king. Branch felt his heart tighten as she approached the bergen, but held back. This was make or break.

"But I don't understand… you don't have the trolls?" She asked him, her face riddled with confusion.

"No of course not. Chef couldn't find them." Gristle shot the purple bergen a hateful glare.

Poppy's heart fluttered with relief. She looked over at Branch questioningly, but he refused to meet her eyes. He _hadn't_ betrayed them at all. Her brow creased with thought as she gazed down at her grey hands. Slowly it dawned on her what he'd done. Gristle had said they couldn't eat grey trolls… had it all been a lie to save her? Had he turned her grey on purpose to save her from being eaten? She dared to hope. Poppy suddenly found some of her confidence flowing back into her. This was a vital moment with the bergens, she could see the king's attitude changing. She could use this moment to change everything. Her personal matters could wait.

"King Gristle… if you don't mind me asking, what made you change your mind?" She asked gently. The king shuffled awkwardly, looking suddenly sheepish. He was very aware that every bergen in the room was listening curiously, if not judgementally. Why was he different to them? Maybe he felt differently because he was of the younger generation that had never tasted troll before, but he could feel the glares of everyone in the room focused on him.

"I dunno I guess… when I saw you looking so sad. I didn't realise trolls got sad like we do. It just reminded me of how I feel all the time. Like maybe we're not so different?" Poppy looked at him hopefully, a smile spreading across her face. This was quite the step for a bergen to make. "And once I thought of it like that, it seemed kinda messed up that we used to… you know. Eat you alive and that." Gristle rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"And maybe if trolls can be as sad as bergens, bergens can be as happy as trolls too!" Poppy beamed up at him, not even noticing as she began to sparkle with colour.

"Do you really think that's possible?" Gristle asked wide-eyed.

"Of course! I know that it is!" Poppy practically bounced up and down with excitement. "We can help you find your happiness, I know we can do it together!"

"But how?" Gristle looked at her doubtfully.

"There are lots of ways! But maybe you should start with each other? Sometimes you just need someone to help you find your happiness. If you have that one special person, everything is brighter!" Gristle's eyes darted briefly to the small lilac maid who was hoovering the carpet across the room. She blushed as their eyes met. "What do you say?"

"Maybe… if you think we can do it." Gristle dared to smile hopefully. "Instead of being the king who brought Trollstice back, I'll be the king to end Trollstice, and bring back happiness!" He announced boldly.

Branch couldn't believe his ears as the exchange took place. Poppy had done it, she'd just made peace with the bergens. He beamed as he watched her speak, her skin glowing a vibrant pink once more. He was so relieved to see her colour return he felt almost dizzy. And the concept that they might never have to fear a bergen again… could this really be happening? It was all they could have hoped for and more.

Now all he needed was for Poppy to forgive him for what he'd done. He knew it was silly to dwell on this of all things after the way events were turning out but he couldn't help it. Every word he'd said still burned in his memory, the vision of her colours draining replaying over and over in his head, making him feel sick. He needed to make sure she knew he didn't mean any of it. Would she understand? He'd understand if she didn't. It was a small price to pay for her life. He stood by patiently as she talked excitedly with Gristle, for now just enjoying the sight of her bouncing about happily - something he thought he might never see again.

Branch suddenly became aware that Poppy had turned and was looking right at him, a curious expression on her face. Wait, how long had he been staring at her? He flushed a dark purple and looked away, but she began to walk over to him.

"Hey Branch, you ok?" She asked him timidly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied, looking at his feet.

"They're gonna take us to the troll tree so we can go home." She smiled at him softly, her words causing him to finally meet her eyes.

"Really?" Home… he thought they'd never make it.

"Yeah! I can't believe it. I said we'd return to visit with more trolls to help them find their happiness."

"That's amazing Poppy." He finally returned her smile warmly, and her own grew wider. She was smiling at him… did that mean she didn't hate him? His stomach fluttered nervously. Little did he know that she was wondering the same thing of him. Branch seemed to be acting like himself again, and his heartfelt smile near melted her heart. She'd never seen him smile like that before.

"Are you ready to go?" Gristle leaned over, interrupting their moment.

"Yep! Let's go home."

* * *

 _A/N: In this AU I thought it would be cute if Gristle had a secret crush on Bridget! It was brief but it was the best way I could slip her into this haha_

 _Hope that chapter wasn't too intense anyway! This isn't the end, there's still at least one more chapter to go. I'm starting to get super busy at work now but I will make sure I find the time to finish this. That's if I don't die from the pain of waiting for the holiday special to come out._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Sorry this took so long! I got a bit of writers block but then it just took me forever to finish it. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Poppy was still in a daze as she waved goodbye to her new bergen friends and headed for the route tunnel home. A smile was plastered on her face and her head spun with exciting new ideas. She couldn't wait to tell the villagers that they didn't need to fear the bergens anymore, but most of all she couldn't wait to see her father. She hated to think what she must have put him through and was eager to set it right with the biggest hug of all time.

A flutter of excitement trilled through her body and she skipped the last few steps to the tunnel exit, hardly noticing they'd already passed through the whole thing. Evening sunshine spilled into the area, surrounding them with a warm glow. Poppy spun around to see if her companion was keeping up, but her smile slipped as her eyes landed on his gloomy face. How could he still be sad? Everything had worked out hadn't it?

She thought back over all the things he'd said back in that terrible kitchen. It had all just been pretend right? Her stomach flipped nervously now. How much of it was lies? He didn't _really_ think any of that stuff did he? He was certainly acting off. He'd been keeping his distance from her and kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ground.

In truth Branch was in emotional turmoil. During the time it took them to traverse the route tunnel from the troll tree back to the forest he had managed to convince himself that Poppy definitely hated his guts. She was walking quickly, and hadn't looked back once or said a single word to him. He'd thought of a million ways to say sorry but he just couldn't open his mouth to say it. Besides, how could she ever forgive him for the awful things he'd said? There just weren't words that could undo the damage he'd already done.

So Branch quickly found himself reverting to his old habits, withdrawing into himself and avoiding her at all costs. He kept his head down and trudged on, keeping a safe distance behind her. When they came out into the open he was aware in his peripheral vision that she had stopped and turned around, and his heart began to race. He couldn't bear to look up and see the look of detest he knew would be on her face. He pretended to be taking in his surroundings, looking anywhere but at her.

Poppy sighed softly. He was definitely avoiding her. What if he really didn't like her? She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much. It wasn't like he'd ever been nice to her before.

"Um… do you know the way back from here? I'm not sure which way the village is." Poppy asked him apprehensively. Branch took a moment to scan the area for real this time, taking note of the direction of the sun.

"Of course I do. It's this way." He hadn't meant his voice to sound so bitter. Why did he have to be like that? He cursed at himself mentally and stormed forwards, thankful to be taking the lead so that he wouldn't have to look at Poppy any longer. He heard her sigh sadly as he passed her, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Cool." She tried to sound upbeat, but her voice came out deflated. She followed after him, feeling less positive than before. She wanted to be angry at him for dampening her spirit at a time like this when they should be celebrating, but she couldn't even find the heart for that. She'd never felt this way before, things didn't normally cloud her mind like this. She felt so confused.

They travelled in silence for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. Soon the rich colours of evening drained into darkness and they both knew they would have to stop. Branch was so nervous about how awkward it was going be to camp overnight together that he briefly considered not stopping. He quickly dismissed the idea though. He wouldn't put her at risk because of his own insecurities. Plus he could tell she was flagging. She must be totally exhausted after everything she'd been through.

When they came to a suitable area Branch stopped and surveyed the space. It was a small, sheltered clearing, mostly surrounded by plants that would conceal them. It was as safe a place as they were likely to find.

"Are we stopping?" Poppy asked sleepily as she stumbled up behind him, rubbing her eyes.

"Yep, I think this is a good spot. I'll go and get some firewood." Branch wasted no time in departing. With any luck she might already be asleep by the time he returned. He'd do anything to avoid talking.

Poppy watched as he quickly disappeared into the vegetation, rolling her eyes before plopping herself down on the ground. He'd walked them hard and after not really getting any proper sleep for a couple of days she was feeling wiped out. She was determined not to fall asleep yet though. She'd had a good think about things whilst they were walking and she couldn't stand it any longer. She had to get the truth out of him one way or another so that she could deal with it. The awkwardness was driving her mad. She missed the easy banter they'd had before and the tenderness he'd shown her when she was hurt. She decided that hadto be the _real_ Branch, and she'd do anything for a hug from him right now.

Poppy waited impatiently for him to return, time stretching out as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Was he deliberately taking forever? She sighed heavily with impatience. She couldn't fall asleep yet, not til she'd sorted things out. She reached up to smack her cheeks to wake herself up. This of course was a terrible idea – how could she have forgotten about her burnt face? She cried out in shock as her skin stung, her eyes watering.

At the sound of her yelp of pain Branch came bursting out of the bushes, his face panic stricken.

"Poppy?" He called frantically, wide-eyed. She was so stunned by his sudden arrival that it took her a moment to respond. It was the first time he'd met her eyes since they'd left Bergentown.

"Um… I just touched my burns by accident. Sorry to worry you." She explained awkwardly. There was a tense moment of silence until she could no longer hold it in, and she burst into a fit of giggles.

Branch's whole body sagged as he watched her bent over with laughter, his worry dissipating. His relief was quickly replaced by irritation and he huffed with exasperation, walking over to the centre of the clearing to set down his collection of sticks and start building the fire. Poppy collected herself and followed him, settling down opposite him.

"Sorry Branch." She said more sincerely, smiling at him warmly as he worked. She waited patiently to see if he would say anything. He had been worried about her just now, there was no doubt about it. She felt a little guilty for making him worry and especially for laughing at his endearing reaction, but she also felt more confident than before that he did care. Sparks began to flicker and soon the fire was burning brightly, but still he remained silent. She decided to make the first move.

"Thank you for worrying about me." His eyes briefly flicked up to hers before returning to the fire.

"I wasn't worried." He muttered sullenly.

"Yes you were!" She laughed at his denial. "Why is that so hard to admit?" He continued to ignore her, his brow creasing with a frown. "You can drop the act now remember?" This made him stop at last, finally meeting her gaze.

"W-what?" He stuttered, caught off guard.

"It was all an act right? Back in the cages?" She smiled at him hopefully. For a moment he was speechless. Why _was_ he being this way? Why did he find it so hard to act like a normal troll? It was always his instinct to revert to the role of hostile loner. Why couldn't he just let himself be happy for once?

"Yeah, of course it was." He mumbled softly, and Poppy felt a swell of relief flow through her. Her confidence continued to build. She was determined to make progress tonight.

"Well… then why are you being this way?" Branch looked at her like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"I'm not being like anything." He muttered as he got up to busy himself with something else.

"No!" Poppy had had enough. She couldn't take any more of his evasive responses. She wanted answers and she was going to get them for once. She grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving. "Branch, I'm trying to help. Stop running away from me!"

"Why?" He snapped.

" _Why_? Why what?" Poppy asked him, baffled.

"Why do you want to help me?"'He' He'd never been able to understand why she couldn't leave him alone before, but now it was beyond his comprehension. Why would she still want to help him after everything he'd said to her?

Poppy just gawped at him, confusion fighting with her frustration.

"Branch… I'm just trying to understand what's going on. We went through all that stuff together. You came all this way by yourself, you _saved_ me and now you're just… acting like you don't want to know me anymore." Her anger melted away, leaving her looking crestfallen. Branch stared at her in disbelief. His skin burned hotly where her hand still gripped his arm.

"But I thought…" Branch looked at her sheepishly. Her eyes urged him to continue. "Don't you hate me for what I did?"

"What?" Poppy exclaimed loudly, finally letting go of his arm to throw her hands up in the air dramatically. "How could you think something like that?" His eyes widened.

"Poppy… I made you turn _grey._ " Branch winced.

"Yeah, and you saved my life! Do you think I'm stupid? Did you think I wouldn't be able to figure out why you did it?"

"N-no… but…" Branch fumbled. "It doesn't change what I did. I still said all those awful things. I hurt you so badly…"

"Branch…" Poppy rubbed her eyes tiredly. She knew he wasn't the most confident of trolls, but she would never have thought him quite this insecure. He truly couldn't see how much she cared for him, even now. She searched for the right words, her head clouded with tiredness.

Branch's brain was on intense panic mode and he couldn't think straight. He'd hoped they could avoid talking about this but he should have known she'd be too stubborn to let it drop. However as she continued to press him he slowly began to accept the concept that she knew he hadn't meant all those horrible things, and quite possibly that she didn't hold it against him. He still felt a burning need to make a physical apology though and before he knew what he was doing he was begging her forgiveness.

"Poppy I'm so sorry!" Poppy looked up in surprise as he suddenly blurted the words out loudly, grasping her by the arms. "I don't think you're silly or empty-headed, well… maybe a little silly sometimes but – all those things I said were awful and I didn't mean a word of it! I'm so sorry I made you feel that way. Please forgive me!" He stared at her desperately, his ice blue eyes crazed. Poppy smiled at him kindly, slightly bemused.

"I already told you its ok. Of course I forgive you, you dork!" She chuckled at his manic expression and the intensity of his apology.

"R-really? Just like that?" Branch asked in disbelief, waiting for the catch. "You're really not even a bit mad or upset?"

"Duh! How many times do I have to tell you?" She couldn't help but giggle at his stupefied expression. "Branch for someone so smart you can be so dumb." Poppy closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Branch stood there stupidly as she squeezed him tight, dumbfounded. She forgave him? He'd just spent the whole journey convinced she hated his guts but here she was, embracing him like nothing had happened. Hesitantly he began to hug her back, daring to let himself believe things might actually be ok. Her sweet smell surrounded him, calming his frantic heart beat and soothing his soul. He felt himself beginning to relax.

"What you did for me was the bravest thing I've ever seen." She spoke into his neck, nuzzling closer. It felt so good to be wrapped up in his arms once again. He made her feel so safe.

"Brave? All I did was be horribly mean to you."

"That wasn't all you did. Stop putting yourself down." She pulled back to look him sincerely in the eyes, her arms still around him. "I know it can't have been easy for you to do that. I can tell from how you've been acting today that it hurt you just as badly." He looked away from her gaze shyly.

"I was so sure you'd never forgive me," He said timidly. It almost seemed silly now that he knew things were ok, he even felt a little embarrassed.

"You should have known me better." She smiled at him brightly, causing him to lock eyes with her once more. He knew she was right. Poppy was just too inherently kind and good to hold a grudge like that. He managed a small smile and she sighed contentedly. "It's really good to see you smiling Branch." Branch felt heat rise in his cheeks then, abruptly feeling very self-conscious about their proximity.

"Um…" He cleared his throat, breaking away from her hold. A chill breeze whipped around them and he quickly changed the subject. "I found some big leaves we can use as blankets for the night. They should be pretty comfy."

Poppy watched him walk back into the surrounding foliage, still smiling warmly. He always seemed to get so nervous when they were close together. She couldn't understand why especially when it felt so good, but he had always disliked hug time. Feeling self-conscious was a fairly rare trait amongst trolls, they usually just spoke their mind and didn't stress over anyone judging them. At least Branch was letting her hug him now though. She acknowledged that that was a huge step in the right direction for him. He soon returned with the makeshift duvets, setting them down near the fire.

"Ohh that looks good." She said as she made her way over, her eyelids feeling heavy at the mere thought of sleep. "Thank you Branch!" He nodded at her before moving to his own leaf, settling down to wrap it around himself snuggly. Poppy watched him and with a smirk shuffled her leaf closer to his before lying down.

"Poppy?" Branch looked at her questioningly. Her leaf was practically touching his.

"What? It's cold. And this way it's safer right?" She grinned cheekily. Branch stared at her with concern and she rolled her eyes at his distress. "It's not like I've climbed into your leaf Branch calm down." She huffed, only causing his face to flush a darker colour.

Poppy was only partly joking. It actually sounded like a pretty good idea to her, she'd love to snuggle up with him right now but she knew Branch would probably freak out. In reality she really just had an inexplicable need to be near him. Perhaps it was because of her near death experience, or being alone in that cage for so long. She didn't want to think about it, all she knew was that she felt better when she was close to him.

Poppy bundled herself up in the blanket cosily and sighed deeply, letting everything that had happened flow out of her. She gazed up at the stars through the canopy above them as they twinkled brightly, marvelling at the simple beauty she thought she might never see again. She felt so utterly content right now.

Branch on the other hand was feeling far less relaxed. He lay stock still, his cheeks still burning. He could feel Poppy's body heat where she lay next him she was so near. It was a bit maddening. He longed to reach out and hold her tight, especially after how close he'd come to losing her. But if he did he feared he'd never be able to let her go again. It would be so easy, she was so close. His mind raged with a thousand possibilities but he remained as still and rigid as a plank of wood. At some point though sleep finally claimed him, stealing away any chances.

He dreamed of being near her, feeling her warmth against his side. However in his dreams he wasn't held back by his anxieties and he swept her off her feet like the troll she deserved. His colours shone brightly and he serenaded her with every love song she brought to his mind. Out of the blue though her expression changed to one of anger, and she kicked and fought her way out of his embrace. Branch felt confused, what was she doing? What had he done wrong? She pushed into his side with her hands and suddenly he was wide awake, sitting bolt upright.

Branch wasn't sure how long it had been or if he had even been properly asleep, but something had roused him to consciousness. Abruptly he was on high alert, his senses searching for the source of the disturbance. He felt another soft kick to his side and looked across to see Poppy writhing in her leaf. His expression quickly fell from panic to exasperation, his nerves calming. Her face was scrunched up with distress and she'd kicked most of her leaf off herself.

"Uh.. no.. please…" She mumbled in her sleep. Branch watched her with alarm. She was clearly having a bad dream but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"NO!" She yelled loudly, making him jump. That was enough, he had to wake her up. He couldn't let her carry on like this.

"Poppy? Poppy!" He leaned over, grasping her shoulders and shaking her tentatively. She tried to pull away, her hand pushing at him feebly so he shook her harder. "Wake up!" At last her eyes flickered open and she looked at him with confusion as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Branch watched it trace down her sparkly cheek with concern as she came to her senses.

"Branch?" She sniffled, wiping the moisture away from her eyes.

"You were having a nightmare." Branch sighed, releasing her and sitting back down in his leaf. He watched as she hugged her knees to her chest tightly, shivering against the brisk night air. Her eyes were groggy and unfocused and she looked even wearier than before. He gazed at her sympathetically. She'd been through so much- it must have been quite a shock to the troll who'd only ever known cupcakes and rainbows. He wished he could have spared her from it.

He was trying to find the right words to comfort her when without warning she began clambering over to him, pushing her way into his leaf bed.

"Wh- Poppy! What are you doing?" Branch blushed furiously as she settled herself in next to him, unashamedly wrapping her arms around his waist and grasping him tightly.

"Stop complaining for once Branch." She grumbled as she pressed her face into his side, her tone denying him to question it further.

He watched in bewilderment as the delicate pink troll curled up into his side, frozen with shock. His heart raced wildly as she clutched onto him, her sweet scent surrounding him and the fuzzy warmth of her skin setting his own on fire where they touched – it was intoxicating. Sure she'd hugged him many times before but this was somehow so much more intimate, more so than he'd ever been with anyone. However she didn't seem to mind at all. She never had been one for personal space or boundaries. His mind raced – how was he supposed to respond in a situation like this? He suddenly felt overly aware of his body. Where was he supposed to put his hands?

She let out a small sound then, a tiny sob that pierced his heart. It was adorable and heart wrenching at the same time. There was no way he could kick her out and to be honest he didn't want to. He gradually felt his panic calm and the tension started to leave his body. He pulled up the leaf around them as carefully as he could and settled down, anxiously creeping an arm around her. She gratefully nuzzled in closer to his chest.

"I guess I can hardly be surprised after what Chef did to you. I'm so sorry Poppy." He spoke softly. He knew a thing or two about night terrors.

"It wasn't that." Poppy said, her voice muffled where her face was pressed against him.

"What?" He asked with confusion, watching as she turned her face so he could hear her.

"I wasn't having a nightmare about what she did to me. It was about when she took _you_." She sniffled sadly and his mouth dropped open with surprise, stunned by her revelation. "I thought you were _gone._ " Branch felt her fingers dig into his sides, as though to anchor herself to his body. It took a moment for him to recover and find his tongue.

"Well… I'm still here." He tried to sound light hearted, though his voice shook as though he hardly believed it himself. "All cause they didn't want to eat a miserable grey troll." He mused. There was a moment of quiet before Poppy spoke again.

"Branch… what made you turn grey?" She asked timidly. Poppy immediately felt him tense up beneath her and could hear his heart beating frantically where her ear pressed against his body. She felt ashamed that she hadn't thought to ask him before now, but her own recent experience had shed a new light on the matter. She wanted to know how someone could live through such sadness for such a long time. How had he survived? Branch didn't respond for a while, and she started to wonder if he was just going to ignore her.

Branch's mind reeled at her unexpected question. He really did _not_ want to talk about this. However, another part of him had to admit that finally opening up about it might feel good. It was frustrating enough how the other trolls treated him for the way he was, especially when they didn't know what he'd been through. The thought of having one troll that understood was a good feeling. Poppy had stuck by him for so long without knowing, he supposed she deserved to finally find out the truth. Especially with their newly strengthened bond this time he was surprised to find he didn't want to push her away. He sighed deeply, mentally preparing himself.

"It was while we were still back at the troll tree. I was only six." Branch began softly, barely comprehending these words were leaving his mouth.

"You were so young!" Poppy gasped in horror. She'd known Branch all her life and he'd always been grey, but she'd never thought about it this way before. To go through such an ordeal at such a tender age… how awful.

"It was just me and my Grandma by then. I lost my parents when I was too young to really remember them." He moved on quickly, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions. His parents were a whole other story. "She did everything for me, she was my world. One day…" he paused to take a shuddering breath, "I was singing out in the open and I was so lost in the song-"

"You were singing?" Poppy burst in, sitting up to look him in the face. Her eyes were wide with astonishment and wonder. She'd always just presumed he _couldn't_ sing.

"Um… yeah." Branch said awkwardly and Poppy backed off a little, realising she'd interrupted.

"S-sorry." She sat back patiently, mouth tight shut. He frowned at her briefly before continuing.

"I was so caught up in the song that I didn't hear her trying to warn me. Before I knew it she'd pushed me off the tree and down into the bushes, and when I looked up… the bergen had taken her." He whispered the last part, cringing away from Poppy's concerned gaze. It was done… the truth was out.

"Branch, I'm so sorry." Poppy fidgeted fretfully. She had hoped it would be something she could fix, but no matter how much she wanted to there was nothing she could do to change what had happened. But maybe she could help him cope better. "So that's why you don't sing?" She asked him carefully, and he nodded glumly. "Do you really think that's what she'd want?" Branch looked up at her in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… don't you think she'd be sad if she knew you hadn't sung all these years? Cause I think she'd want you to be happy." Poppy said sensitively, hoping she was finding the right words. Branch's ears seemed to wilt.

"I think she'd want me to keep myself safe like she did, and everyone else too. So that's what I did. Singing drew attention and got me in trouble, so I stopped doing it." His logic didn't seem quite as sound once he said it aloud. He scowled at himself.

"Well how about now we don't have to worry about the bergens anymore?" Poppy probed optimistically.

"There are still other predators in the forest Poppy." Branch looked at her sceptically.

"Well I think she'd want you to sing. And I really hope I get to hear it someday." She smiled at him brightly. Branch wanted to return the smile but he couldn't seem to make his face obey. He hadn't thought about singing for so long. It was an enticing thought and he did miss it, but his soul still didn't feel ready. Though he felt lighter than he had in years, the grey still weighed on him heavily.

"Is that how you feel? Like all the time?" Poppy asked suddenly, drawing his attention back to her. He was surprised to see her expression had turned distressed once more.

"What d'you mean?"

"That feeling of turning grey… I never knew it was even possible to feel so bad. But knowing that's how you've felt all these years…" She shook her head in disbelief. "How do you do it? How do you keep going? Is that how you feel right now?" She blurted out the questions in her need to understand and he recoiled a little.

"No I don't feel that bad _now_." He shrugged, feeling self-conscious. "I dunno, it eased a bit with time. I never felt that bad when I was around you." The words escaped from his mouth and he clamped his mouth shut quickly.

"You mean I helped… a little?" She smiled at him hopefully and he blushed. He knew how much this meant to her and he wasn't ready to quash her hope.

"Of course you did. You were the only one who ever bothered with me." He shuffled awkwardly, keen to steer the conversation away from this direction. "I guess I mostly channelled my feelings into making my bunker and trying to keep everyone safe."

"And we just kept on ignoring your advice and undoing all your hard work." Her face fell with realisation. "Branch I'm so sorry." Poppy apologised fervently but Branch shook his head.

"Don't be. I guess we were both right and both wrong in the end. You didn't know, and that was because I never told anyone. And I know I didn't make myself easy to like. It's my fault." He admitted, eyes downcast.

"Thank you for looking out for us all this time." She smiled at him, and he gazed back her with awe. She was so forgiving and her ability to see the positive in any situation never ceased to amaze him.

Of course he felt the burn of guilt for thinking it, but part of him was glad that she'd experienced what it was like to turn grey. She didn't just understand how he felt, she _knew_. It changed everything. She had always been kind and merciful of his ways before but the way she looked at him now was different. Her eyes were filled to the brim with compassion, her smile warm and genuine and just for him. He could feel himself slipping into those eyes. Her face was so close that he could see the moonlight dancing off her vibrant pink irises, making them sparkle. She really was so beautiful.

"You know I'd do anything for you Poppy." He uttered tenderly. His words just kept slipping out without thinking, what was she doing to him?

"Branch…" She breathed his name softly, making his blood trill with excitement.

There was such a small distance between them now and his heart began to pound. Did he dare? She wasn't pulling away and there was an indescribable look in her eyes as they grew half-lidded. He drew a shaky breath and took the plunge, closing the gap between them to softly meet their lips together. Her mouth was even softer than he could have imagined. Her lips were so velvety and warm he thought he might melt under their touch.

Branch's pulse raced even faster as he realised she hadn't flinched away, and he felt a new fire burning in his chest when her lips began to move gently against his own. With a new confidence he pressed more firmly, instinct taking over as their mouths moved together as one. The kiss was slow and sweet, but it was intense with emotion. He wasn't sure how long it lasted but soon they pulled apart, staring into one another's eyes dreamily, their cheeks flushed with colour.

That was when reality came crashing back down upon him. What on Earth had come over him, had he really just done that? It was like a different person had suddenly been in control of his body. He felt the panic begin to rise in his chest. Poppy didn't like him that way! What if he'd just ruined their friendship before it had barely begun?

"Oh my hair… Poppy I… I'm sorry I don't know…" Branch stumbled over his words, the sound of his blood rushing loudly in his ears making it harder to think. She gawked at him, confounded by his reaction.

"Branch calm down, what are you sorry for?" Poppy grabbed his arms, grounding him from his spiralling anxiety.

"You… you're with Creek… I didn't think," Branch tried to look anywhere but her eyes.

Poppy seemed to consider this for a moment, mild surprise on her face.

"Huh," She said matter-of-factly. She hadn't thought about anything much in the heat of the moment other than how amazingly good it felt to have Branch kiss her. Unlike him she hadn't been overthinking anything. She'd simply been enjoying his company but she'd been startled by the fireworks of emotions that erupted in her when their lips met. Creek hadn't even crossed her mind. Should she feel bad about that?

"Well, nothing's ever happened between us so I don't think we were ever _together_." She pondered. She'd always thought she would end up with Creek but after the time she had spent with Branch and after that kiss… she was shocked to find that her feelings for Creek paled in comparison. How had she not seen this coming?

"A-are you sure?" Branch stared at her. Was that true? They'd always acted so smitten with each other that he found it hard to believe that Creek had never made a move. Wait… if nothing had ever happened between them that meant Branch had just been her first kiss. He felt butterflies stir in his stomach.

"Branch… Creek has never made me feel the way you just made me feel. No one has." She looked up at him passionately and Branch felt his limbs turn to jelly. "You're the one that came to rescue me, not him."

Initially she had hoped Creek might come and save her. When it had turned out to be Branch she hadn't been disappointed so much as surprised and puzzled. But suddenly everything felt like it made more sense. Her eyes widened with realisation as the truth dawned on her. The missing piece of the puzzle that had been eluding her all this time.

"How long have you liked me this way Branch?" She felt him tense under her hold, his cheeks darkening. She had to prompt him for a response. "Branch?"

"Um… a little while." He mumbled evasively.

"How long is _'a while'_?" She pressed him stubbornly.

"I dunno exactly. A few years maybe," Branch shifted uncomfortably but he couldn't lie. Poppy sat back a little, taking this information in. For a moment she was lost for words.

"But… but… you were always so mean to me!" Branch winced in shame. She didn't mean it to come out that way, but she just couldn't make sense of this.

"I know… I'm so sorry Poppy." He cringed. "I didn't mean to be… I just…" Branch floundered for words. Suddenly he snapped. There was no point in holding back anymore, and the truth spilled freely. "Look I'm a mess ok! I was scared to let you get close because I was scared of losing you like I did my grandma!"

"What?" She shook her head sadly, "Why would you lose me?"

"I don't know, there's a million ways it could happen! And then it did…" The realisation hit him like a ton of bricks, his eyes falling away from her. "I did lose you. And it didn't matter that I'd pushed you away all my life because it was too late. I already loved you." He was talking to himself more than Poppy now, so he didn't notice those three incriminating words escape from his mouth. Poppy stared at him wide-eyed, her heart pounding. His words didn't throw her for long.

"You didn't lose me though, because you saved me." She placed her hands tenderly on either side of his face, tilting his head up to face her once more. She beamed at him affectionately. "I love you too Branch." She spoke emotionally, and his face dropped with shock.

Poppy accepted her newfound feelings without fear, knowing in her heart that they were true and that they'd perhaps only been hiding just beneath the surface. All she'd needed was for him to stop fighting and finally open his soul to her and now at long last the real Branch was sat before her, vulnerable and afraid. She gave him the warmest smile he'd ever seen, her eyes glistening.

Branch felt tears prickle at his eyes. He was frozen in a state of shock, too scared to move lest he shatter this illusion. She loved him back? How was that possible after the way he'd treated her all these years? He felt his body tremble and suddenly her arms were all around him, engulfing him in her love. He hugged her back fiercely, allowing twenty years of fear, suppressed feelings and misery to flow out of him at long last. She held onto him tightly as his body quaked.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that for but when he heard her gasp Branch pulled back reluctantly. She was staring at him with wonder in her eyes, looking him all over.

"Branch, you're… _blue_! Your colours!" She laughed excitedly, grabbing one of his arms and pulling it in front of his face to show him, yanking him forward in her enthusiasm.

He gazed at the bright teal colour of his skin – it was practically glowing. When he looked upwards he saw a vibrant burst of rich blue towering above him. He'd almost forgotten what his colours looked like. He hadn't thought he'd ever find them again. A smile began to creep across his face.

"I'm so happy for you Branch!" Poppy was practically bouncing up and down with excitement where she sat in front of him, drawing his attention back to her. Her skin shone with a new light too – they really were both glowing. His eyebrows raised with surprise as he saw tears begin to escape her eyes.

"Poppy?" Branch prompted her, baffled.

"I always wondered… I just so hoped I would get to see this day!" She wiped the stray tears away, grinning at him broadly and Branch shook his head in disbelief.

"What did I do to deserve you," He grinned at her as he pulled her back into his arms.

"You saved me." She murmured into his chest, pressing herself into his fuzzy skin contentedly.

"No. _You_ saved _me_." He spoke into her hair, breathing in her sweet scent appreciatively. Today he had predicted a million and one ways that she could hate him, but he had never imagined this outcome was possible. It was almost too much to take in but for the first time in years he wasn't overthinking it, he was simply happy in the moment. His heart felt so light and free and it was all thanks to her.

After a little while he felt her sag slightly in his grasp, and heard her breathing deepen. He felt the tug of sleep pull at his own body too. It had been an emotional and exhausting couple of days, and it was finally time to admit defeat and rest. Branch lay them both down carefully, tucking the leaf lovingly around her as she snuggled into his side. He held her close, and soon fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

 _A/N: Man I got carried away with that in the end. I hope it didn't end up too rambly! (P.s. I guess that Branch was 6 when it happened, do we actually know?)_

 _I think there is one more chapter left for this story. Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait on this chapter! It's hard for me to find spare time at the moment :( This chapter probably could have done with a bit more work but I've been itching to get it published for ages now so here it is! And wow thanks so much for all the lovely comments on that last chapter! 3_

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

The mood in Branch's bunker grew more sombre by the day. It had been several days since Poppy had been taken by that awful bergen and there was still no sign of her or Branch. The trolls were beginning to get restless cooped up in the confined space, and not being able to sing or dance was taking its toll.

Regardless of this Creek was enjoying his brief reign and was doing his best to keep everyone's spirits high. He was eager to show them he could be a good leader, and with each passing day he felt his chances of becoming king improved. His cheery attitude was harshly juxtaposed with that of king Peppy's misery but it worked in his favour. Though his happiness was routed in selfish motives to the villagers he simply appeared strong and hopeful.

Everything was going exactly to his plan and now he just needed to convince Peppy that it was time to leave the bunker before Branch had a chance to come back with Poppy. Creek felt pretty confident this wouldn't happen – how could that ill-tempered hermit ever hope to rescue their princess from Bergentown all by himself? It was laughable, but nonetheless he was impatient to move on. If Branch somehow did manage it he was pretty sure he would be in trouble for saying Poppy wasn't worth the risk of saving. It would ruin his reputation, and what's worse was Branch would become the hero instead of him.

Creek wandered through the bunker until he found Peppy where he knew he'd still be. The king was slouched in an armchair by the fireplace, as grey as the day he lost his daughter. Trolls came and went all day to make sure he had everything he needed, but all he did was sit and stare at the flames. Poppy's friends had tried to keep him company but he barely spoke a word, and eventually everyone had left him alone to grieve. Creek prepared his best sympathetic expression, and approached the king.

"My good king, I wondered if I might have a word?" Creek put a hand on Peppy's shoulder, leaning down to meet his eyes with a smile. Peppy's vacant stare flickered up to meet the purple trolls gaze questioningly, but Creek didn't wait for a response. "It's been several days since Branch set off now, and I just thought that it might be high time we moved on from here." At this the king's eyes widened worriedly.

"Leave? We can't leave yet, we have to wait for them to come back!" Peppy's voice was weary and anxious.

"My king, how long are we willing to wait? It pains me to say this but I have to be the voice of reason. You know the chances of Branch succeeding are tiny. How could one small troll face up to a whole town of bergens? Meanwhile our villagers are trapped down here, miserable and running out of supplies." Creek laid it on thick. The supplies were actually sustaining them amazingly well, but the king wouldn't know that.

"But…" Peppy's gaze fell to the floor sadly. As king he knew it was his duty to put the villagers first, but how could he forsake his own daughter?

"I say we should move on while we still can." Creek continued firmly. "The longer we delay the higher the risk of the bergens discovering us, and if they find us down here we'll be like sitting ducks!" Creek exclaimed dramatically, and Peppy sighed heavily.

"Please Creek… it's only been a few days. Can't we wait just a bit longer?" Peppy muttered despondently. Creek's brow furrowed slightly with irritation, but he quickly changed his expression back to a positive one before it was noticed.

"I tell you what. I will go out and scout the land to see if I can spot them coming, and if I don't find anything then we'll move on when I return. Ok?" Creek smiled broadly at the king. Peppy stared at him glumly for a long moment, before finally nodding his head. "Great! I'll get going right away." Creek bounced up immediately, eager to be done with this farce.

"Creek! Please… make sure you go far enough won't you?" Peppy called after him.

"Not to worry, I will search high and low!" Creek shouted merrily over his shoulder, his face falling into a scowl as soon as he turned away. This was an irritation but he supposed it wasn't all bad, at least it was progress and he was in control. All he had to do was go on a day long hike and tell them that he hadn't found anything, and then they could finally get moving.

So Creek hastily announced to the villagers his brave and daring mission to venture out into danger to scout for their returning princess, telling them he would be back in a day. He took a moment to appreciate his well-wishers - there was always time to soak up a little praise – before heading up to the surface. He stepped out into the daylight and stretched leisurely. It was _so_ good to be out of Branch's stale old bunker. He didn't know how the recluse could cope with living down there all the time, no wonder he was always miserable.

Creek easily found the bergen's tracks and began a brisk pace in that direction. He felt much better for being out in the sunshine and doing something productive, and began to quite enjoy his walk. After several hours of walking he was starting to debate how far he should go. He could find a pleasant spot and spend the rest of the day meditating or doing some yoga perhaps, the villagers weren't to know he hadn't spent the whole time searching.

He was just marvelling at his own craftiness when a noise stopped him dead in his tracks. It was the sound of a very familiar laugh, one he hadn't thought he would ever hear again. He crept through the undergrowth, keeping himself well concealed as he went. Gradually he grew closer and he could now hear the sound of two voices. Creek felt his temper flare as he recognised the second voice, his face growing hot and his muscles clenching. That loser troll had actually done it? _Seriously?_

Creek peeked out from behind a leaf, peering down onto the trail. Sure enough, there she was in all her pink glory, merrily skipping through the forest. She looked completely unharmed from where he hid. Dammit he could have at least brought her back injured or something. It wasn't that he was displeased she was ok, he didn't actually mind her all that much. He thought she was a bit naïve and dim at times but she was ok as trolls went. She had a good voice and was nice to look at but he didn't care much about any of that. He saw her merely as a tool to getting what he wanted – being king. Before she'd been captured that had simply meant wooing her which had been easy enough, but right now she was more useful gone. He scowled in frustration.

Creek's eyes wandered over to the troll that jogged behind her trying to keep up, but he had to do a double take. Where he'd expected to see the grey survivalist his eyes landed instead on a teal troll with towering blue hair. _Who the…?_ Creek's eyes widened as he realised that this was indeed Branch. Branch with his colours back. Well, that was just plain irritating. How had that happened? But the worst was still yet to come.

Creek watched in horror as Poppy turned back to the blue troll, smiling at him affectionately and reaching out to take his hands in her own. She planted a kiss on Branch's cheek and then giggled as he blushed purple. He quickly recovered and spun her around in a little dance as she laughed giddily. Creek gagged. He thought he was going to be sick.

This literally could not be worse. He'd always suspected that Branch carried a torch for the princess and had thoroughly enjoyed rubbing his own closeness with Poppy in the grey trolls face, thinking he never stood a chance. But how could she have fallen for him? What could a grouch like that possibly offer her? The two trolls couldn't be more different. He couldn't let this happen! He had to think of something and fast.

There was no way he was letting these two make it back to troll village alive.

….

Poppy danced along the trail home, always a few steps ahead of Branch. He could barely keep up with the princess, her energy levels seemed to be at an all-time high. Nonetheless he couldn't help but be infected by the dazzling smile that adorned her face. It was so good to see her back to her happy old self again.

His mind still reeled with everything that had happened. He felt like an entirely new troll. He suddenly had prospects, and a future. He felt _hopeful._ It was like he were wandering through a dream and he kept expecting to wake up back in Bergentown, locked in a cage.

However as he trotted along trying to catch up once again, it set his mind spinning off with doubts. What if this was what they'd always be like? If they were to be a couple would he spend his life trying to keep up with her? He might have found his happiness but he had spent twenty years in isolation - it was going to be tough for him to keep up with her level of enthusiasm. He was still the same old Branch, and he just hoped that she understood that just because he had his colours back that didn't mean he was going to completely change personalities overnight.

He shuddered when he thought of returning to the village and trying to integrate himself with the other trolls. Social situations were more terrifying to him than any forest creature, not that he'd ever admit that. Poppy had been eager to accept him, but then she always had. The other trolls had never been quite so sure and were certainly not as forgiving of his nature. What if they didn't want to welcome him into their society? What if they did and he found it all just too overwhelming?

He flinched as Poppy suddenly materialised inches in front of his face, taking his hands into her own and pecking him sweetly on the cheek. He flushed darkly, caught off guard by her affection. Would he ever get used to this? He smiled dopily.

"Where were you just now? It looked like you were miles away!" Poppy giggled, the sound lifting his spirits. Branch couldn't help himself. He beamed back at her and picked her up, spinning her around in the air while she giggled with delight.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about stuff." He said evasively as he planted her gently back on the ground.

"Nothing too serious I hope?" Poppy looked at him with chastising eyes as they continued walking.

"Oh, you know me." He mumbled sombrely.

"Oh Branch. We can't do this anymore! If you've got something on your mind just tell me!" She exclaimed with frustration, causing him to blush again. She was right. If he didn't want to slip back into his old ways the changes had to start with him.

"I'm just… nervous I guess." He struggled with his words.

"About what?"

"About how I'm going to fit in in the village. Will people be willing to give me a second chance after how I've acted all these years?"

"Of course they will! Don't be so silly, trolls don't hold grudges." She shook her head at him, but he didn't look completely convinced. "There's more?" She prompted. Branch's mind chewed on the words for a moment.

"You know I'm never going to be like the other trolls. I mean I'm going to do my best but, I'll always be different."

"So?" Poppy didn't really understand what the problem was. "Every troll is unique."

"Poppy you know what I mean." Branch rolled his eyes.

"No Branch, I don't think I do." She said stopping to face him directly, concern furrowing her brow. Branch sighed.

"What if we get back to the village and… you realise that I'm not right for you. We're so different…" He shuffled nervously, looking down at his feet. Poppy stared at him for a moment open mouthed and speechless.

"Branch… what do you think, that I fell in love with you out here because you're the only troll around? That I'm going to lose interest in you as soon as we get back? What do you take me for?" Branch felt his pulse quicken as she looked at him with hurt eyes. He hadn't realised she'd take it so personally. His insecurities lay in his own inadequacies, not his lack of trust in her. "Do you think my feelings for you aren't real?"

"No no… I mean, I hope they are… I just…" He scrambled, feeling flustered. "I guess I just don't want to hold you back."

"Branch," Poppy put a hand on his cheek, drawing his eyes back to hers. "I know this is going to be a big step for you, and I understand that it won't be easy. I'll do everything that I can to help you along the way, but I need you to put the work in too. Have a little faith in me. You have to believe that my feelings for you are true. You're what I want." She smiled at him lovingly before continuing.

"I know there's stuff I need to work on too. For starters I won't ignore your warnings anymore," She chuckled well-naturedly. "We'll take more safety precautions. I mean we can hardly ignore it anymore after what happened. I'm going to make sure that we build a home both us will be happy and safe in. We'll work it out together, one step at a time."

Branch felt his heart swell at her words. Just when he thought he couldn't love her any more she kept on proving him wrong.

"I'm sorry Poppy, I didn't mean to doubt you. I guess I'm just still getting used to the idea that you could love a grumpy old troll like me." He said jokingly, putting his arms around her and drawing her closer. It still felt weird that he was allowed to do that, never mind have the confidence to.

"You're not _that_ grumpy." She giggled, leaning in to close the distance between them, touching her lips softly to his. He melted under her tender kiss, all of his worries fading away. It was only the second time they'd kissed but he marvelled at how natural their actions felt already, his body acting completely on instinct as he squeezed her closer, one hand coming to rest at the back of her head. That didn't make it any less exhilarating than the first time though, and the blood rushed around his body fiercely as their lips moved together, her breath hot and sweet against his mouth.

"Ahem." They both froze as they heard someone cough awkwardly nearby. "I hope I'm not interrupting?" Creek announced himself. He'd been getting sick waiting for them to be done and continue on their way, until he'd seen about as much as he could stomach.

Branch's blood boiled when he saw who it was. Even now that purple idiot was managing to get in the way. Poppy however – much to Branch's chagrin – was delighted of course. She gasped as her eyes landed on her old friend.

"Oh my gosh, Creek!" She flung herself at him, hugging him excitedly.

Branch bristled at the sight. As if he hadn't disliked the guy enough _before_ any of this had happened. He could never forgive Creek for his negative attitude about trying to rescue Poppy and giving her up for dead so quickly. She didn't know that had happened though. He'd never told her what had gone on between them after she was first taken. There seemed no point in upsetting her with it, but watching her hug Creek like this was making him feel sick.

"It is _incredible_ to see you princess. We have been _so_ worried!" Creek laid it on thick as he smiled at her brightly, taking her hands in his own.

"Arrrghhh I've missed everyone so much!" Poppy bounced up and down on the spot with her overflowing enthusiasm.

"And we've all missed you." He winked at her and booped her on the nose. Creek then turned his gaze coolly towards Branch. "Well look at you Branch, you're so… blue!" Creek attempted to be polite but it came out strained. He did a better job than Branch, who simply scowled back.

"Isn't it incredible? He got his colours back!" Poppy exclaimed excitedly, dropping Creek's hands and prancing back over to take up Branch's once more. Branch felt a swell of smug pride and couldn't help a small grin tugging at his mouth. If Poppy chose him over her previous crush then he knew he had nothing to worry about. Seeing Creek straining to maintain his peaceable expression was so delicious.

"Superb." Was all Creek could manage to get past his forced smile. "So!" Creek gestured at their clasped hands, his tone questioning. He couldn't help but wonder.

"Oh! So much happened!" Poppy began excitedly. "Branch was so brave! He came all the way to Bergentown to save me and then OH MY GOSH YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!" Poppy's excitement levels hit critical as she remembered her big news. "We actually made peace with the bergens! Isn't that incredible? We don't have to fear them anymore!" For the first time Creek's composure fell away, replaced by utter shock. He had not seen that coming. "And then…" Poppy stopped for the first time, blushing shyly. "Well… Branch finally found his true colours! I've never felt so happy!" Poppy squeezed Branch's arm happily.

Branch shook his head at her manic telling of their story that didn't actually tell anything much at all, but his heart skipped a beat at her last statement. For a sweet moment he actually managed to forget about Creek standing right there.

"That's wonderful Poppy, I'm _so_ happy for you." Creek smiled as best he could. Time to move this along before he cracked. "Well we should get back to the village to let them know the good news! Your father will be so pleased." Creek turned to lead the way.

"Wait, where are you going? The village is this way." Branch protested. Creek had to correct his frown before turning back to face them.

"No no, this is a shortcut. This is the way I came!" Creek lied through his teeth, continuing on before Branch could complain further.

"Shortcut?" Branch muttered, baffled. He was pretty sure he knew this forest better than Creek did and he didn't know anything about this route.

"Come on Branch!" To Branch's dismay Poppy was already skipping after Creek, and he had to jog to catch up to her.

"Poppy this doesn't feel right." He said under his breath but she quickly dismissed him.

"Oh come on Branch." She brushed him off without thinking, still full of glee at seeing her friend. His face fell a little but then he thought back to her words from earlier. He had to start trying. Creek might be a tough first challenge but at least he'd got to rub his relationship with Poppy in his dumb purple face. Branch supposed he could give Creek this so called shortcut, even if it did take a little a longer.

As they continued into the forest though Branch's sense of dread only grew. He felt sure that this was a risky path to take but he bit his tongue when he saw Poppy happily chatting away to Creek. He didn't want to be this person anymore, the one that always brought her down. He had to keep replaying their talk from earlier as he watched her smile at the purple troll. _Have a little faith in me._ So he kept quiet and gritted his teeth.

After a while Poppy looked back to see Branch dragging behind with an anxious look on his face. She had been enjoying catching up with her friend but when she saw his sad expression she dropped back and took his hand.

"Hey, you ok?" She smiled at him kindly.

"Yeah, it's just…" He couldn't hold it in any longer. "Poppy this part of the forest just doesn't feel very safe. I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Really?" Poppy looked around the forest with concern. Creek seemed to know what he was doing, but she'd promised to stop ignoring Branch's warnings. "Well what do you want to do?"

"I honestly think we should be heading in that direction," He gestured. "Can you have a word with him? Wait… where'd Creek go?" Poppy looked up, and was surprised to find the purple troll had completely disappeared.

"Creek?" She called loudly but Branch quickly shushed her. His senses were on high alert as he pricked his ears for any sounds, anxiously scanning their surroundings. They were in a dense part of the woods, enclosed by dull purple trees and all manner of strange plants.

"He must be just ahead!" Poppy said resolutely, swallowing back her nerves as she darted forward into the bushes.

"Poppy wait!" Branch grabbed after her but she slipped through his grasp. His heart stopped when he heard her scream. "POPPY!" He dashed after her through the foliage, grinding to a sharp halt as he saw what had happened.

The leaves had concealed a sudden drop which Poppy hadn't spotted in time. His beloved troll hung helplessly from a huge spider web which spanned the fall. She had been lucky it'd broken her fall but now she was hopelessly stuck in the strong fibres that clung to her fuzzy skin, and he watched in despair as she tugged desperately trying to free herself.

"Branch! Branch help!" She called breathlessly as she spotted him on the ledge, her eyes wide and frightened as she began to hyperventilate with panic.

"Poppy don't struggle! Hold still!" Branch tried to tell her, but it was no use. The tremors her frantic movements were sending through the web had already alerted it's creator to her presence. Branch's stomach twisted with nausea as he spotted the huge spiders descending rapidly, their curiosity peaked.

For a brief moment Branch felt totally paralyzed by fear. This was it. It was happening again. He'd only just allowed himself to admit his love for her and already fate was going to steal her away. And then Poppy shrieked as she spotted the spiders fast approaching her and the sound cut through his terror, jolting him into action.

He quickly lashed his hair out, using it to swing up to a branch that hung above Poppy, between her and the descending spiders. They all froze at the unexpected arrival, their many beady eyes blinking at him curiously.

"Hey ugly! Over here!" Branch yelled at them, snapping off a twig and launching it at the nearest spiders face. It growled angrily and hissed at him, enraged. Branch gulped, feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins. He dove off the branch, swinging away from the furious beasts swiftly. When he landed on the next tree over he paused to look back, seeing they had temporarily forgotten Poppy to pursue him instead. He grinned as he leapt to the next tree, but he knew this wouldn't work for long. He could distract the spiders for a bit but it would only be a matter of time before they got bored of chasing him and went back to their easy meal. He had to get her unstuck, but how could he be in two places at once?

Branch grit his teeth and swung back around, travelling in a wide circle to come back around to the main web. He knew they probably wouldn't stray too far from it. As he came back towards the centre he caught a glimpse of Poppy down below. He felt a glimmer of hope as he saw she had managed to free one of her arms and was currently trying to pry away her other. She was struggling though, and not succeeding fast enough. He had to help her somehow.

What he needed was something sharp to cut her loose with. Branch quickly surveyed the area for anything that might do the trick, and his eyes landed on the stem of a plant which was covered in sharp looking thorns. He grabbed a few berries from a nearby flower and threw them at the closest spiders, aiming for the eyes. The beasts stumbled backwards and roared as the juices stung their sensitive eyes, bumbling in to one another in temporary blindness. Branch didn't waste a second of his bought time, and swiftly planned his trajectory towards the thorny plant before swinging down. He successfully pulled a thorn from the stem and swerved back around so that he was above the web.

"Poppy, catch!" He yelled as he threw the thorn down to her. Branch didn't see whether she caught it, he didn't have a chance to slow down with the spiders recovering fast. He'd already used up more time than he had to spare by acquiring the thorn, and it had cost him. He aimed for the ledge above where Poppy had fallen from, tumbling as he landed hard. As he slowed to a stop he dazedly got to his feet, his head spinning. After his rough landing he failed to notice that the spiders had managed to completely surround him.

Branch stumbled backwards as a particularly large spider advanced on him, but when he turned to flee he saw the other spiders gathering around. His stomach twisted with fear, his body turning rigid. He was trapped. It snarled at him ferociously, it's huge fangs clacking together with a sickening sound. Branch looked around urgently for an escape but all of his exits were blocked by other spiders hanging down from their silk from overhanging trees.

His heart began to hammer in his chest painfully. Was this really it? After everything they'd been through, this was how it was going to end? He tried to look down to the web to catch a glimpse of pink, but he couldn't see her. Had she managed to free herself? All he wanted to know was that she was safe.

The beast before him roared again, forcing Branch's eyes back up to it's own. It was close enough now that he could feel it's hot, rank breath on his face. He closed his eyes against the terrifying sight and tensed, waiting for the pain to come.

But it didn't come. Instead he heard a grunt and the sound of impact, and opened his eyes in time to see the spider sailing over the ledge. His heart soared as his eyes landed on what stood in it's place. The princess had come to his rescue, fearlessly using her hair to swing right into the side of the beast and send it flying. She shot him a determined, almost cheeky grin before turning to the next spider and lashing out with her hair to whip it in the face.

"Get… away… from… my… man!" She yelled defiantly between whips, bits of sticky web still clinging to her dress and skin. To his astonishment the spider recoiled – possibly more shocked that this tiny creature had the guts to fight back than from actual pain, but regardless it was working.

Branch smirked and turned to face the other way, using his hair to whip the surrounding spiders like she was. He boldly lashed out at them, laughing victoriously as they began to retreat until eventually they had all surrendered.

"I can't believe that worked!" Branch panted, catching his breath as he watched the last spider disappear back up into the trees. He smiled giddily, high from escaping their near death experience. That was when he realised Poppy was being awful quiet. He heard a muffled sound and spun around, his blood running cold.

Creek had grabbed Poppy from behind and was holding her tightly so that she couldn't move, his hand covering her mouth. Branch froze in shock. He had never trusted Creek but he'd never seen the purple troll look like this before, his mask of tranquillity well and truly gone. He was glaring at Branch with a crazy glint in his eyes, baring his teeth. He'd never seen anyone look so incensed in all his life.

"Creek? What the hell do you think you're doing? Let her go!" Branch bristled, his rage building but tempered by his fear. What was Creek doing to do to her? They were stood so close to that ledge.

"Let her go? It's a bit late for that don't you think?" Creek laughed manically. "You couldn't have kept it simple could you? You couldn't have just co-operated and got eaten by the spiders? No! You had to rescue her _again_ like the good little hero you are." Creek ranted.

"What are you talking about? I get that you never liked me but what did Poppy ever do to you?" Branch yelled, slowly trying to creep closer.

"Just stay where you are!" Creek snapped wildly as he noticed Branch advancing, and the blue troll froze, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Just calm down Creek. Please… don't do anything you're gonna regret." Branch brought his tone down to a calm level, desperately trying not to antagonise the troll any further.

"Regret?" Creek chuckled. "The only thing I regret is that I haven't taken care of you two already."

"Look you can do whatever you want to me ok, just let her go." Branch began to panic as Creek took another step closer to the ledge.

"You just can't help yourself can you." Creek snorted. "You just have to keep on being the hero." Branch scowled at him hard.

"I'm serious! She hasn't done anything to deserve this!" Branch caught Poppy's pleading eyes then as she tried to shake her head at him, but Creek only gripped her tighter. Branch flinched as she winced in pain at his rough grasp.

"She chose you!" Creek snapped lividly. "Maybe if she had come back and accepted me as her king I could have allowed her to live, but she made her bed when she chose to be with you!" Branch's face fell in shock and Poppy's eyes grew wide.

"That's all you want isn't it? Just to be king, by any means necessary." Branch shook his head at him in disgust. "You make me sick." His face scrunched in fury, his fists clenching at his sides.

"It is yes." Creek responded, completely unashamed. "And it _will_ happen, as soon as I've dealt with the two of you. And Peppy of course." Branch watched as Poppy's face immediately turned from one of distress to one of pure rage.

Branch watched in horror as the events played out before him in what felt like slow motion. Creek had crossed a line by threatening Peppy, and it was his undoing. Poppy found a new strength and managed to free enough of her mouth to bite into Creek's hand as hard as she could. Creek cried out in pain, flailing wildly as his balance dwindled. Branch dove towards them with all the speed he could muster as he watched the two trolls tumble backwards over the ledge.

"BRANCH!" He heard Poppy scream, sending a chill through his soul.

His hair was already reaching out before he had even reached the edge, and he slid down onto his front to grasp the edge as he shot it down to reach for her. The web that had been there before was now in ruins where Poppy had cut herself free, and both trolls had tumbled straight through. Poppy threw her own hair out to meet his and Branch felt a shiver run down his spine as the strands intertwined, instantly wrapping around one others in a strong bond.

Branch let out a small breath of relief and began pulling her up until at last she was safely in his arms. She hugged him briefly before they both turned to look over the edge anxiously. Creek had tried to copy her, shooting out his hair towards the nearest thing which was the ruined web. It could no longer sustain any weight, and quickly gave. Branch heard Poppy gasp as he continued to fall, his eyes crazed with terror as he plummeted down. Both their eyes widened as what had previously looked like the forest floor suddenly opened it's eyes, a huge mouth yawning open to consume the falling troll.

Branch gulped nervously, a shudder of dread rippling through his body. It was too much for Poppy, and she flung herself into his chest, sobbing desperately. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, his heart breaking for her as her body quaked. He knew Creek had got what he deserved but he was still furious at him. Not only had he betrayed her trust but he had threatened her father. Poppy was so trusting and she had truly considered him a close friend, so Branch knew that she would take this hard. Not only that, but he knew that she would still feel horrible about what had just happened to him, regardless of his betrayal.

Branch clutched her tighter, not knowing what he could say or do to make this better. He let her cry it out for a short while, stroking her hair soothingly until her sobs grew softer. He drew back from her, gazing lovingly at her tearstained face.

"You gave me quite a scare there." He smiled at her gently, pushing her bangs off her face where they clung to her tears. Her eyes flickered up to him slowly. She looked dazed and thoroughly exhausted. Branch tenderly planted a small kiss to her forehead before helping her gently to her feet.

"Come on, let's go home."

* * *

 _A/N: K so I hope that didn't suck too much, I'm not great at action scenes. There will be one last chapter! I have started on it so hopefully it won't be as long til I can next update, I will do my best. I'm hoping to do some more doodles to accompany this story, I've been posting what I've done so far on my tumblr - my username is warui-okami if anyones interested! Thanks for reading x_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Sorry it's been ages since an update again! Thanks so much for the lovely reviews 3 Circleheadd - So sorry to hear you are going through a rough time. I hope some more Broppy helps! ILoveBroppy1andOnly - haha to be fair I didn't put that much thought into Creek beyond him just wanting to be King by any means, he was just a simple villain for this story but perhaps I should have considered his background some more. Link Fangirl01 - thanks so much! Don't worry about the DM haha I'm much the same. It was just a really sweet message you sent me thank you :)_

 _Here is the last chapter, hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Everything was a bit of a blur when they first arrived back at Branch's bunker. Poppy had been quiet and sombre for most of the journey home, but the moment she'd been reunited with her friends she turned straight back into her happy old self. She was shocked to discover her father had lost his colours when she was taken, but his skin soon reverted to his usual jovial orange once he held his daughter in his arms. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the two embraced one another desperately.

Branch had tried to stand back and let Poppy be the focus of the attention but trolls swarmed him with appreciation for what he had done, and fussed over his bright colours. It was all a bit overwhelming, much as he had expected. Everyone was so full of questions but much of what he had gone through were intimate moments between himself and Poppy, and he found himself struggling to find the right words.

Poppy noticed Branch's discomfort as the villagers surrounded him, besieging him with queries about what had happened. She smiled proudly at how well he was doing but she could see that it was getting a bit much for him, so she told them all to gather outside where she could tell everyone the good news properly. The trolls spilled outside excitedly, having not seen daylight for several days.

Poppy took her place on the large mushroom in the centre of the clearing and began her story. When she told them of how she had brought peace with the bergens the crowd erupted with elation, hardly able to believe the turn of events. Her father had crowned her queen on the spot, and Branch beamed with pride as everyone cheered for her. She hadn't mentioned Creek once, and surprisingly no one had asked about him. He was sure she would have to explain to the snack pack at some point, but beyond that he presumed she would probably never speak of him again. Even now she was too good to talk ill of him.

Plans were instantly begun for the biggest party ever. They had so much to celebrate and for once Branch couldn't blame them. Once the crowd began to disperse to begin the preparations Poppy immediately headed through the crowd to him. She grabbed him into a big hug, squeezing him happily.

"Hey, it's not hug time yet." He said with a smirk, blushing and hugging her back nonetheless.

"Oh shut up." She grinned, squeezing him tighter. When she pulled back she held on to his hands and looked at him nervously.

"What is it?" Branch looked at her worriedly, also glancing around at the surrounding trolls who were watching them and gossiping. It wasn't like he'd wanted her to announce to the whole village that they were an item now, in fact he was glad she hadn't. But he knew people would soon notice and start talking, and it made him irrationally nervous. What would people think?

"You… you _are_ going to come to the party… right?" Her question surprised him, and she began rambling nervously before he could respond. "I mean I know there are still dangers and all but at least there aren't any bergens, and I'll try to reign it in but the villagers have never had this much to celebrate before and-"

"Yes Poppy, I will come." He smiled at her bemused, and her face lit up.

"Really? Oh Branch!" She pulled him into another hug. She had been waiting to hear him say those words for years.

He knew how much this meant to her, despite his misgivings. He wanted to be a more active member of the village. Heck he wanted to have fun for the first time in his life. But it was still a big step for him, and he couldn't help but be nervous. He'd never been to one of her parties - what if he didn't like it? Branch swallowed back his nerves, shaking his spiralling thoughts quickly from his mind.

"Do I still get a fancy invitation?" He teased, trying to make light of the situation.

"I thought you hated my invitations." She pulled back, looking at him with surprise.

"Of course I didn't. I mean I wasn't too keen on getting glitter up my nose every time, but still," He said with a smile.

"Sorry," Poppy giggled, "I knew my scrapbooking skills would win you over eventually." She smirked.

"You won me over with the first one." Branch rolled his eyes with a blush.

"Wow, really? I can't even remember the first one." Poppy blinked in surprise. Branch simply grinned. He knew exactly which one came first, but she didn't have to know that he still had every single one. Maybe one day she would find out.

"Hey leave your boyfriend alone, we've got work to do!" Smidge called to Poppy coarsely, causing Branch to blush a dark shade of purple. The snack pack were all there, watching them and grinning as they waited for her to initiate the party plans.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back, completely unfazed. "Do you wanna come help us?" She looked at him hopefully.

"Sure!" He nodded and she bounced giddily on the spot, smiling manically.

"Arrrggh this is going to be so much fun!" She yelled, overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of Branch integrating with her friends _and_ coming to one of their parties. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek and dragged him over.

. . .

The party did not disappoint. It was loud, glittery and just plain crazy. Every troll in the village attended of course, and it seemed that no one had ever been happier. The music boomed as hair of every colour bounced and swayed to the beat, the air shimmering as it rained glitter.

For Branch though, it all proved a little too much too soon. It probably wasn't a great introduction to parties for him – he'd been very much thrown in at the deep end. But he knew he would have to forgive them for tonight, it was a very special occasion after all. He appreciated the concessions that he had managed to negotiate with Poppy, such as not using fireworks or those terribly dazzling light canons that Branch hated so much. But nonetheless spirits were high and couldn't be contained, and he was pretty certain he was the only troll that was worrying tonight.

He had to admit it wasn't all bad. Branch did enjoy dancing and it was nice to have so many trolls actually try to talk to him and get to know him for once. He was immediately taken in by the snack pack without question. It already felt as though they that had been friends for years.

But the only troll he _really_ wanted to spend time with tonight was Poppy, and unfortunately she was in too high demand. Everyone wanted to tell her how great it was to have her back, how excited they were for her to be queen and how amazing they thought she would be at it. He didn't understand how her head didn't explode getting pulled in all directions like that.

Branch did his best, but as the night grew late he had to admit defeat. He was still exhausted from the whole ordeal - he felt sure he'd have been able to cope better if he could have just caught up on his sleep first. He'd barely even seen Poppy in the last couple of hours. She was chatting away animatedly with some trolls he didn't know right now, surely deep into yet another retelling of their adventure. Surely no one would miss him if he slipped away now? He thought of his bunker and visibly sagged. Who knew what state it was in after housing all of troll village these last few days?

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked back towards Poppy once more. She gestured energetically as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with excitement and he wondered what part of their story she was telling. He smiled to himself, his cheeks growing warm. For a long moment he just watched her contentedly, until a yawn forced its way from his mouth. Finally he turned away and disappeared unnoticed into the foliage.

. . .

Poppy took a deep breath as she finally managed to excuse herself. There was no one here she didn't like of course but it was getting exhausting that every single troll wanted to spend time with her. A small part of her wished she could have just had a small party with the snack pack, a thought which caught her off guard. She'd never wished a party was smaller before! Sure it was the biggest one they'd ever had, but maybe it was the time she'd spent away from the village. Branch must have rubbed off on her.

Branch... she felt herself blush at the mere thought of him. She felt a giddy tingle from recalling everything that had happened between them, making her heart flutter. It was sort of a similar feeling she used to get when she thought about Creek, except it was so much more intense that it almost made her feel unsteady on her feet. The thought of Creek just made her feel physically sick now. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, buried deep.

Poppy scanned the crowds for Branch excitedly, hoping to catch sight of his striking teal and blue. People were starting to drift off home now as it was getting pretty late, but she couldn't spot his handsome form anywhere. Her smile slipped as she realised he wasn't here. When had he left? Why didn't he say goodbye? Her stomach knotted with guilt.

She'd known this party would be hard for him - it was his first after all, and she hadn't been able to be there for him. Had he had a terrible time? She began to fret. She'd wanted to spend the night with him, but every time she'd tried to get away someone else would stop her, and the time had just flown by before she knew it. Her crown suddenly weighed heavily upon her head, and her body sagged tiredly.

Her instinct told her to go straight to his bunker and find him, but another voice told her to stop. What if he was just tired and wanted some alone time? Maybe he wouldn't want her bursting in on him, especially if he was already asleep. She sighed, her shoulders drooping. She felt so drained all of a sudden, she just wanted to go to bed. It had been an exceptionally long few days, and finally even she had run out of energy. Quietly she slipped away from the remnants of the party, and went home to her pod.

. . .

Branch lay wide awake on his bed, despite how exhausted he felt. He couldn't stop stressing over his actions tonight. He shouldn't have left, he should have stuck it out. Had it really been so bad? He knew it hadn't, he had definitely enjoyed himself. Was it too late to go back? Why hadn't he at least said goodbye? He dragged his hands over his face in frustration. His mind just would not stop racing with anxieties. He knew that he had to make a conscious effort not to act this way anymore, and yet he had just gone and done it again. What was wrong with him?

He didn't want things to just go back to the way they were before, he wanted Poppy in his life. Things had been so much easier back in the forest when it was just the two of them. It wasn't that he missed the danger of their adventure, simply their privacy. He finally felt like he could be completely himself around her, but it was so hard to break the habit of a lifetime and let the rest of the world see the real him too.

Had he just been kidding himself in the forest? Could he really hold down a girl like Poppy? The queen no less. A voice in his head scolded him for such thoughts - she'd already told him off for thinking this way, but it was so hard to ignore them. She might have meant what she said then but this was a different world, and if he didn't fit in he knew they wouldn't work together. She could have anyone she wanted, why would she chose a grumpy, anti-social troll?

Branch frowned in determination at himself. No. He wouldn't let her go. It was up to him to make this work, and he was going to fight for her. He had to do something for her. Some sort of gesture that would cement their relationship here in the village. He had to show her the troll he was deep down that was crying to be let out.

He knew what it was that he should do, it was just difficult for him to accept. After all these years it was the one thing that he was going to find the hardest to let go, and yet he knew he had to get past it if he wanted to fit in and be truly free of his past. A part of him didwant to. He missed singing so much, and he knew his soul wouldn't be complete until he did it. Was he ready? For Poppy… he could be.

Branch got off his bed and paced his room anxiously. Suddenly he stopped and shook his head in irritation at himself. He needed to get some air, he was never going to be able to sleep until he sorted his head out anyway. He hopped onto the lift and emerged into the crisp night air, taking a deep cleansing breath to clear his mind.

He walked a little way towards the village until he could see the bright pink pod that he knew belonged to Poppy. The area was quiet - it seemed like the party had run its course now. She was nowhere in sight and the light was off in her pod, so she must have gone to bed. He considered going to her to apologise for leaving and to say goodnight, but quickly dismissed it. She was probably already asleep and he didn't want to wake her. He took one last longing look at her window before turning away, heading into the forest.

His head was swarming with lyrics as he walked. He'd written so many all these years, but never had he sung a single note. What if he couldn't do this?

He stopped when he reached a small clearing, one of his favourite spots to come when he was trying to unwind. It was a peaceful space, mostly sheltered by tall plants with a small stream snaking through. The gentle sound of trickling water was the only noise to be heard, and glow bugs floated serenely through the tranquil air. Branch breathed in the atmosphere deeply. This place never failed to calm his nerves.

He flinched as he suddenly caught sight of his own reflection in the water. It was the first time he'd seen himself since regaining his vibrant colours, and he hardly recognised himself. He'd spent the last twenty years avoiding his reflection, but now he couldn't stop looking at the towering burst of blue that sprouted from his head, or the rich teal of his skin. He felt a burst of happiness at the reminder of how far he'd already come, and all because of her.

Branch felt a wave of inspiration then, and before he'd even stopped to worry about it a sweet melody was emerging from his throat.

" _Aren't you something to admire, cause your shine is something like a mirror  
And I can't help but notice, you reflect in this heart of mine  
If you ever feel alone and the glare makes me hard to find  
Just know that I'm always parallel on the other side,"_

He started out softly, but felt his voice growing stronger with every beat. This felt so right. So natural.

" _Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul  
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go  
Just put your hand on the glass, I'm here trying to pull you through  
You just gotta be strong,"_

He wasn't just singing for her anymore, but for himself too. Singing made him feel strong, he had almost forgotten. When he was lost in a song he felt like he could do anything in the world. He felt like a child again.

" _Cause I don't wanna lose you now  
I'm looking right at the other half of me  
The vacancy that sat in my heart  
Is a space that now you hold  
Show me how to fight for now  
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy  
Coming back into you once I figured it out  
You were right here all along  
It's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me  
I couldn't get any bigger  
With anyone else beside of me  
And now it's clear as this promise  
That we're making two reflections into one  
Cause it's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me,"_

He was going to fight for her, and he'd never stop.

. . .

Poppy tossed and turned in her bed. She'd been so exhausted that she'd quickly fallen to sleep, but once again bad memories plagued her dreams. Each time she was reaching out to Branch but every time she was too slow or too weak and he'd slip right through her fingers and into Chef's gnarly clawed hands. The horror of that memory was so overwhelming that she bolted upright in her bed, abruptly wide awake.

Poppy took a few shaky breaths, her mind clearing as she slowly realised it was just a dream. She gazed groggily at the soft, comforting pink of her bedroom that surrounded her. There was no grim kitchen, no cage or cold metal ground. She let out a deep breath, flopping back onto her bed and wiping at her moist eyes. When was that nightmare going to leave her alone? They were safe now. Was it trying to tell her something? Was she afraid Branch was going to slip out of her reach? No, she wouldn't let that happen. But then she remembered how he'd left the party without saying anything to her, and she felt her first flicker of doubt.

That was it. She had to go see him, she didn't care that it was the middle of the night. She got up and stormed out of her pod with a renewed purpose, heading straight for the secluded little corner of the forest where she knew the entrance to his bunker lay.

Poppy held out her hand to knock on the boulder, but hesitated. She felt once again that flutter of nerves in her stomach. How strange, she'd never felt nervous around him before he'd confessed his feelings to her. Everything was so new now, this was certainly unchartered territory for both of them. It was kind of exciting she thought to herself, and grinning pounded her fist on the door.

"Branch?" She didn't want to call too loudly, expecting him to be long asleep by now. After a moment with no response she tried again. "Branch are you sleeping? I'm really sorry but I…" She trailed off. What was she here to say? 'Sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night but I had a nightmare'? She sounded like a five year old. She suddenly felt very foolish. She waited anxiously for an answer, but none came.

Poppy turned her back to the boulder and slumped against it dejectedly, sinking into the mossy ground. Was he mad at her? Or just sleeping? She wrapped her arms around herself tightly. All she wanted was a hug right now.

Poppy almost fell asleep hunched up against the rock, when the distant sound of a melody drifted into her consciousness. She slowly stirred as she came to the realisation that she wasn't dreaming, blinking the sleep from her eyes in the dim light. What was that? It sounded like someone was singing in the forest, but who would be out there this late?

She got to her feet stiffly, her mind foggy with tiredness as she followed the sweet tune into the dark woods. It didn't sound like a voice she recognised, yet it was somehow so familiar. One thing she was certain of was that it was the most beautiful, angelic voice she'd ever heard in her life. She _had_ to discover the culprit.

As she stumbled through the foliage, drawing closer to the source the words became clearer and began to make sense.

" _Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul  
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go  
Just put your hand on the glass, I'm here trying to pull you through  
You just gotta be strong,"_

Poppy gasped as she reached the picturesque little clearing, her eyes falling upon the one troll she had so wanted to see. It was Branch! Branch was singing! She wanted to scream with excitement but she bit her tongue, containing herself. He was facing away so he hadn't spotted her yet, and she worried he would grow shy and stop if he realised she was here. So she stayed quiet amongst the leaves, watching intently and hanging on his every word.

" _Cause I don't wanna lose you now  
I'm looking right at the other half of me  
The vacancy that sat in my heart  
Is a space that now you hold,"_

Was he singing about her? Her heart swelled with emotion. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd been surprised to witness his smooth dancing moves at the party, but this was something else entirely. He was so talented, he honestly had the sweetest voice she'd ever heard. She smiled as the glow bugs flitted about him, supporting his vocals with their own little sounds.

Poppy bit her lip as she drank in the sight of him swaying gently to his own beat, her cheeks glowing with warmth. She couldn't stop herself any longer. She could feel herself getting sucked into his words and the urge to join him in song was too overpowering. Quietly she padded out from her hiding place in the bushes and approached him cautiously.

" _Show me how to fight for now  
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy  
Coming back into you once I figured it out  
You were right here all along  
It's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me  
I couldn't get any bigger  
With anyone else beside of me  
And now it's clear as this promise  
That we're making two reflections into one,"_

"… _into one,"_ Poppy sang the last part with him, her heart in her mouth as she joined him by the stream.

His eyes widened as he noticed her reflection in the water next to his, whipping around to face her. Branch was speechless, completely stunned by her presence but she continued his song undeterred, knowing he would need a little push.

" _Cause it's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me,"_

She smiled at him warmly as she took his hands softly in her own, nodding encouragement for him to continue. She saw him gulp nervously, but after a moment's hesitation he continued.

" _Yesterday is history,  
Tomorrow's a mystery,"_

They both knew the significance of his words. This was a major turning point and they could both feel the adrenaline coursing through them, their hearts beating fiercely together. Branch's voice began to build with confidence once more.

" _I can see you looking back at me  
Keep your eyes on me  
Baby, keep your eyes on me,"_

He grinned at her then, gripping her hands back firmly and swinging her gently into a slow dance for the chorus.

" _I don't wanna lose you now  
I'm looking right at the other half of me  
The vacancy that sat in my heart  
Is a space that now you hold  
Show me how to fight for now  
And I'll tell you baby, it was easy  
Coming back into you once I figured it out  
You were right here all along,"_

Poppy grinned broadly, her skin glowing with happiness as he twirled her around. She joined in once more, her own vocals complimenting his seamlessly. In that moment she'd never been so sure of anything in her life as she was that they were truly made for each other. Their movements were effortlessly synchronised, their voices in perfect harmony.

" _It's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me  
I couldn't get any bigger  
With anyone else beside of me  
And now it's clear as this promise  
That we're making two reflections into one  
Cause it's like you're my mirror  
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me."_

Poppy giggled as the song came to a close, her heart overflowing with joy. They embraced tightly, feeling their hearts beating hard against one another.

"Branch you're such a dark horse!" Poppy laughed as they pulled apart. "Where have you been hiding that voice?"

"Well you weren't supposed to hear it just yet, I was hoping to get in a bit of practise first." He shuffled awkwardly, feeling self-conscious. That hadn't exactly been how he'd planned it to happen but he supposed it had worked out pretty well. He could still feel himself trembling from the exhilaration of their moment.

"Practise… are you kidding me? That was incredible!" Poppy raved, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Thanks Poppy." He grinned, taking a breath to calm his pounding heart. "I can't believe it… twenty years it's been…" Branch looked away wistfully, momentarily lost to his thoughts.

"Branch, I know you wanted to try out it before I heard you but I'm really happy that I got to share this moment with you." Poppy smiled at him tenderly, squeezing his arms.

"No, I'm glad you were here. You made it perfect." He felt like such a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders and all that was left was the vision that stood before him, her gleaming magenta eyes so full of love and devotion. How was she so perfect?

"What _are_ you doing out here anyway? How the heck did you know I was out here? It's like you've got a sixth sense." He joked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I came to your bunker actually and then I heard singing, so I followed the voice because I'd never heard anyone sing so beautifully." She swooned.

"What were you doing at my bunker?" His brow creased with puzzlement. What time was it anyway?

"Oh… I um," Poppy thought about what to say, feeling embarrassed about the nightmare. "I couldn't sleep you know. And I just thought… I never got to say goodnight so…" She rambled awkwardly. Branch cringed at the reminder of his actions tonight.

"Poppy… I'm so sorry I just left the party without saying anything. It was rude of me. I-"

"No, please don't be sorry." Poppy quickly cut him off from his apology. "I feel horrible cause I knew it was a big deal for you and I was super busy, and I should have made time for you! I let you down." Her face fell, her gaze falling sadly to the ground.

"What? Poppy you didn't let me down, how could you think that? I should have tried harder. I should have stayed…" Branch drifted off. They both caught each other's eyes then and let out a small laugh. "I guess we both still have plenty of work to do huh?"

"I guess so." Poppy smiled. "We'll make this work though Branch. I promise you we'll get there. I _want_ to be with you, you know that right?" She looked at him seriously, and he nodded timidly. "We've both still got growing to do but we'll do it together. I'm never giving up on you." She looked at him determinedly. He couldn't believe it as she voiced the exact thoughts that had been plaguing his mind. She really was made for him.

"Good, cause I'm never letting you go." His grip on her arms tightened instinctively, and her smile broadened. His possessiveness made her heart pound.

"I love you Branch." Somehow her words still caught him off guard, and he flushed purple before recovering.

"I love you too Poppy." He uttered softly.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that simply lost in such a perfect moment, but he suddenly became aware of the growing light. They both looked to the sky to see the dark blue was brightening, a warm pink creeping in as the stars began to fade. Poppy gave a big yawn and Branch chuckled at her sleepy expression affectionately.

"It's been a long few days."

"Yeah I feel like I could sleep for a week." Poppy said as she rubbed at her eyes. "We should probably head back."

Once they reached Branch's bunker they paused outside, and Branch fidgeted nervously before finding his voice.

"Do you… do you want to have a sleepover?" Branch asked shyly, unable to meet her eyes as he spoke the words, a blush darkening his cheeks. Poppy's eyes glowed with happiness, finding his shyness adorable.

"I'd love that!" She smiled at him warmly and he relaxed.

Branch softly took her hand, and led her inside.

* * *

 _A/N: The ending was supposed to sound innocent, Branch wasn't insinuating anything by 'sleepover', but I'm not saying nothing happened either ;) To be fair they probably slept for a day after everything they had just been through!_

 _I hope this wasn't too uneventful/bitty, it was hard to get it out in bits and pieces with being so busy so I hope it didn't suffer too much from that. I thought it would be nice to make a bigger deal of Branch finally singing._ _Sorry if it was really cheesy/overdone to use Mirrors, I just thought some of the words fit really nicely and it kind of blows my mind that it's actually Justin Timberlake/Branch singing haha XD I just thought it would be fun to use a different song to True Colours as we all know that scene pretty well, but imagine it pretty similar with the slow dance Poppy complementing his lead vocals with her supporting._

 _I know some people said they were sorry this story seemed to be ending so soon but I didn't want to overstretch it, I really never intended on it being a long story. Plus I have so many other ideas I'd love to do, I've already started writing another one so watch this space! Thanks so much to everyone who read, hope you enjoyed it :) Merry Christmas!_


End file.
